Michael Clarke is a New York–based commercial director and photographer whose path into advertising followed a career as a professional freestyle skier and Under Armour–endorsed athlete. Trade coverage dates his commercial practice to roughly 2010. A long partnership with Under Armour has produced more than fifty projects, and cited portfolio brands also include Samsung, Citi, Google, and United Healthcare. His Samsung US Olympic campaign featuring athlete Gus Kenworthy earned a Clio and a Young Director Award shortlist at Cannes. Press and roster copy describe work that moves between mountain-scale cinematic energy and intimate human storytelling, balancing a documentary approach with direction of real people and real feeling, and applying a photographer’s eye to each frame. In February 2026 STADIUM announced him to its roster, highlighting premium craft paired with a human point of view; he is also listed with Asymetric in Canada and has been welcomed on the ATRBUTE roster. Public materials emphasize visually driven, human-centered commercial storytelling, with the clearest signals in athletic brand work, docu-leaning real-people direction, and heartfelt performance.