Joe Pytka David Livingston/Getty Images
The director of more than 80 Super Bowl commercials will receive the award on Saturday, Feb 6.
Joe Pytka is getting recognized by the Directors Guild of America.
The commercial director will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Achievement in Television Direction for his trailblazing career, which has seen him direct over 5,000 commercials, with more than 80 of them airing during the Super Bowl. The award will be presented at the 68th annual DGA Awards on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles.
“Since the debut of television, commercials have played a critical role in shaping the trajectory of the medium. And when it comes to commercials, there is no higher bar than the one set by the incomparable Joe Pytka,” said DGA president Paris Barclay. “[His work is] part of the nation’s zeitgeist, from his iconic, generation-defining Pepsi ads to Nike’s ‘Bo Knows’ and Budweiser’s ‘Clydesdales’ to the unforgettable ‘Your Brain on Drugs’ PSA. For these reasons and so many more, we’re thrilled to present this top Guild honor to Joe.”
The DGA Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Achievement in Television Direction was just created by the board of directors last year. It joins the Guild’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Achievement in Motion Picture Direction as the two highest honors given by the DGA. Winners are nominated by a blue ribbon committee of prominent television directors and approved by the present and past presidents of the Guild. Last year, James Burrows and Robert Butler received the inaugural honor.
