A FinTech company has been plugged by legendary director Spike Lee in a film featuring club legends and current players.
In a storied career, Academy Award-winning Lee has explored race relations in his film career spanning the 1980s (Do the Right Thing), 90s (Jungle Fever, Malcolm X), Noughties (Bamboozled) and beyond (Da 5 Bloods, BlacKkKlansman).
Now he has used his talents to promote the Gunners’ official software partner Airwallex in an advert.
The short film is set in the pub and ‘blends humour, cultural references and sharp dialogue drawn directly from Arsenal culture’.
Rather than discussing football, fans, former and current players speak about Airwallex and its cross-border services.
Among the legends to feature are Thierry Henry, Martin Keown and Rachel Yankey. Current players Kai Havertz, Gabriel and Viktor Gyokeres also make an appearance, as does actor Jasmine Jobson.
“I’ve been riding with Arsenal for years – it started with Thierry,” Lee told Arsenal.com.
“But what really stayed with me is what the club stands for, its history, its culture, the way it reflects the world beyond the pitch.
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“With Who Are Ya?, I wanted to capture that real supporter energy—the passion, the debates, the humour.
“Fans today don’t just follow the game, they understand everything around it too. Bringing Airwallex into that conversation felt natural, because the film plays on how fans now talk about the business side of football just as much as what happens on the pitch.
“This film is about that voice, that culture, and that community.”
Matt Jennings, global creative director at Airwallex, said: “Let’s be honest – most Arsenal supporters haven’t heard of Airwallex, and we didn’t want to be a random logo on a perimeter board; so we decided to introduce our Arsenal partnership in a way supporters couldn’t ignore.
“Football isn’t just 90 minutes on the pitch – it’s the talk about money, business, and tactics that happen at the pub every week. We hope our film brings those conversations to life in an entertaining way, and ensures no Arsenal fan will ever have to ask, “Air-who?”
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