Henry-Alex Rubin

Henry-Alex Rubin is half French and grew up in New York and Paris. He studied film at Columbia University and was mentored by James Mangold. His first feature film Murderball won Sundance and was nominated for an Academy Award. 

Rubin has directed two fiction films (Disconnect, with Alexander Skarsgard and Jason Bateman and Semper Fi, with Jai Courtney and Leighton Meester) and has become one of the most awarded directors in the commercial world, winning over 100 Cannes Lions, 44 Clios (3 Grand Clios), 40 Pencils, 22 AICP awards, 8 Emmy nominations for Best Commercial, with 2 wins for “Teenage Dream” (Sandy Hook Promise)  and “Back-to-School Essentials” (Sandy Hook Promise).

Known in the ad world for his naturalism and ability to capture emotion, Rubin’s first major campaign, “Whopper Freakout,” swept Cannes and won the Advertising Excellence Award from AICP. His black and white film for Gatorade celebrating Derek Jeter’s retirement received an Emmy nomination.

Over the years, Rubin has directed dozens of Super Bowl ads, including several for Budweiser’s Clydesdales, and has also made seven films for Sandy Hook Promise. Notably, his Sandy Hook Promise “Back to School Essential’s spot won the Clio & Brand Storytelling’s Inaugural Storytelling for Good Award at Sundance – the first advertising award to be presented by a major international film festival. 

His film “The Cost of Beauty” for Dove, earned him an Emmy nomination and a CICLOPE award. This thought-provoking spot delves into the journey of a young girl as she grapples with a life-threatening eating disorder triggered by toxic social media.

His Apple spot about a father using AirPods as a hearing aid was retweeted by millions including Tim Cook, and netted an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Commercial.