Joe Smiley is a writer and director of commercials, music videos, and short films driven by sharp concepts, strong visuals, and a unique sense of humor.

He began his career producing offbeat promotional spots and half-hour television specials for NewsChannel 12 in Jackson, Mississippi. He later spent five years at the ad agency Mad Genius, where he was initially hired as a copywriter. There he developed and pitched campaign concepts for a wide range of clients, eventually moving behind the camera to direct commercials and branded content, giving him the opportunity to carry ideas from the page all the way through production.

After being laid off during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, he began focusing on a parallel creative path as a fine artist.

In the years since, his work has appeared in juried exhibitions across the region, and he staged his first solo exhibition, Twilight of the Heenka-Bo, at the Arts Center of Mississippi. He’s currently preparing his second solo exhibition, Alphabets, opening in April at ACES Gallery in Meridian, Mississippi. You can view his visual art at joesmileyart.com.