Many people know how influential advertising greats Tom Burrell, Alma Hopkins, Lewis Williams, Jo Muse, Dan Wieden, John Jay, Jim Riswold, Jon Kamen, David Lubars, Lee Clow, Michael Roth and funk legend, Bootsy Collins have been in the career of Jimmy Smith. However, what many people do not know is that if it were not for Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York, David White and Agnes Moorehead – Jimmy might never have considered a career in advertising. Montgomery, York, White and Moorehead played Samatha Stephens, Darrin Stephens, Larry Tate and Endora, respectively, on the TV show, Bewitched. Darrin was a creative director and Larry was an account executive. Not only did the show introduce Jimmy to advertising, it unintentionally planted the seed of the idea of branded entertainment.

Throughout his career, Jimmy – a 2012 Fast Company Top 100 Most Creative member and One Club board member – has worked his magic in a variety of roles as a copywriter, creative director, author, TV show writer, video game creator, film and record producer. His work has been recognized for its fresh advertising approaches (Smithsonian, One Show, Cannes, D&AD, ANDYs, AICP, TIME magazine), its authenticity in video games (ESPN – EA Sports NBA Street), its TV show originality (Emmy nomination – Gatorade Replay) and for its beauty (Stiftung Buchkunst International Book Art Competition, Copenhagen Museum of Applied Arts – Soul of the Game, Images & Voices of Street Basketball).
In 2013, Jimmy added TV show talent to his list of accomplishments as he appeared as a judge on VH1’s reality series Model Employee. And in 2016 – thanks to Harman International – his company’s newly formed record label, Amusement Park Music, debuted its first hit single, “Bigger Than Us,” by Dame D.O.L.L.A. (Different On Levels the Lord Allows).

Yet, with all he has accomplished, he is still pushing the envelope of what is possible.

On July 30, 2016, Amusement Park Entertainment, Mondelēz International’s Stride Gum and FOX brought to the international stage, Heaven Sent. In this epic live event, world renown skydiver, Luke Aikins, jumped from 25,000 feet with no parachute, no wing suit … nothing but the clothes on his back … and landed safely. It also landed Luke and Amusement Park a Guinness World Record.

As you’ll often hear Jimmy say, “Jesus has hooked a brotha up!”