Good Times has signed Mike Andrews for commercial representation in the US. A comedy director with a background in design, photography, and art direction, Andrews combines a cinematic sensibility with a love of grounded characters, human behavior, and absurdity hiding in plain sight. He has directed campaigns for Yahoo, KIA, Bud Light, Capital One, Toyota, Google, and the NBA, among many more major brands.
“As we expand and evolve our roster, Mike is a talent we just knew we had to have,” says Eric McCasline, Good Times Partner and Executive Producer. “He is novel, he is funny, and simply makes work that stands out and stays with you. Welcome to Good Times, Mike!”
“I love the energy at Good Times,” remarks Andrews. “It’s a scrappier, more down-to-earth environment with a diverse and interesting roster where I feel I fit right in and add something unique and complementary.”
Andrews’ comedic sensibility draws from a lifelong diet of sketch comedy, improv shows, and too many viewings of Airplane! as a kid. A “wannabe” actor at heart, he’s dabbled in acting classes, including at Upright Citizens Brigade and Second City. Together, those influences shaped a comedic point of view built around characters who treat absurd circumstances with complete seriousness.
His comedy thrives in the details: an awkward pause, a questionable decision, a perfectly timed look, or the occasional moment of inspired chaos. Finding those moments starts with casting, where Andrews favors smart, improvisational actors who can build believable characters and bring something unexpected to the performance.
“One of my favorite parts of the job is working with actors and finding those moments you could never fully script,” says Andrews. “Commercial performance, especially in comedy, is its own beast. You might have only a second or two, and so often, that’s exactly where the humor lives. I love giving actors the space to find those little surprises that make a character feel real and allow the comedy to land.”
Years as an agency creative gave Andrews an inside-out understanding of the strategy and craft behind commercial production. His career took off at Leo Burnett, where he developed campaigns for Delta Air Lines, Miller Lite, Reebok, Coca-Cola, USPS, and Kellogg’s. He next joined DDB as Group Creative Director, leading work for countless brands while landing the agency new accounts with Intel, McAfee, Benefit Cosmetics, and Qualcomm.
Time spent on set as an agency creative sparked Andrews’ love of production and an itch to get behind the camera. Co-scripting a Mother’s Day spot for Kingsford Charcoal afforded him the opportunity to make his commercial directing debut while at DDB. Showcasing his signature dialogue and deadpan humor, the spot was named Ad Age’s Ad of the Day, putting Andrews on the map as a director to watch. He never looked back. After leaving agency life, Andrews quickly built an impressive comedy portfolio, highlighted early on by campaigns for Canon via Grey New York and Quilted Northern with Droga5.
Over the next few years, Andrews would sharpen his comedic voice through collaborations with a wide range of brands. Early work for BOOMCHICKAPOP reinforced his penchant for absurdity, Capital One’s “Sandwich” showcased his deadpan humor, and Google Nest’s Halloween-themed “Monster Auditions” used improv to mine comedy gold.
With his directing career in full swing at Tool of North America, that foundation evolved across campaigns for Honey, Yahoo Sportsbook, MyFitnessPal, and KeyBank. The latter marked an evolution in his work, pairing nuanced character-driven humor with cinematic polish.
Andrews’ most recent directorial highlights include a trio of clever, offbeat spots for Discover, work for Clearview Bank, and Georgia Lottery’s comedic “Mrs. Claus” holiday scratchers campaign, which gave the holiday icon a mischievous modern twist through hilariously ho-hum elfin performances.
