Samuel David Bayer (born in 17 February 1965 in Syracuse, New York) is an American music video and commercial director.
A graduate of New York City’s School of Visual Arts in 1987 with a degree in Fine Arts, he moved to Los Angeles in 1991 and became a popular director during the alternative rock era. He has directed videos for The Strokes, Nirvana and Green Day. Bayer claims that the reason he was chosen to direct Smells Like Teen Spirit was because his test reel was so bad. . Bayer won Director of the Year at the MTV Awards in 2005 and 2007.
Several of Bayer's commercials have won the Clio. Clients include Coca-Cola, Toyota, Intel, Cadillac, Acura, Nissan, Pepsi Cola, Lincoln Aviator, Sony, and Jeep. His Nike spot won an Association of Independent Commercial Producers award for best direction in 1997.
