Zaakir A. Kareem

Zaakir A. Kareem serves as a Lecturer in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations within the College of Communication Arts and Sciences at Michigan State University, teaching ADV 245: Multimedia Commercial Production. He concurrently holds a full-time position as Senior Producer at Uniworld Group Inc. in Detroit, leveraging over 20 years of industry experience to create award-winning campaigns for clients including Ford, Rock Mortgage, Heisman Trophy Trust, and the American Heart Association.

His professional focus centers on advertising and multimedia production with deep engagement in cultural storytelling, particularly Black history and heritage as evidenced by Black History Month campaigns for Ford and TD Bank. His work integrates cinematic techniques, celebrity collaborations (e.g., Big Sean, Royce Da 5’9), and community narratives to produce commercials, music videos, and branded content that resonate across diverse audiences.

Recognition for his creative excellence includes:

• Telly Award (Silver) for Ford’s Black Music Month “50th Anniversary of Hip Hop” campaign (2023)
• Telly Award (Silver) for Rock Mortgage’s BSH AA Campaign (2023)