Last week, if you asked ChatGPT, “who is the biggest artist in the world?” it would have told you Bad Bunny, even with Taylor Swift’s album just days away. And that was BEFORE the NFL announced that Benito would be performing at this season’s Super Bowl Haltime Show.
Bad Bunny is already the highest streamed artist on YouTube and has the most plays on Spotify in the US and globally. And after his earth-shattering residency in Puerto Rico, he’s being dubbed the best live performer of all time by every person I know who saw it. The livestream of the last show was mesmerizing…even for people who don’t speak Spanish.
Plus, his movies are going through the roof. He was hilarious in Happy Gilmore 2, the most watched Netflix movie in history, and continues to excel in film and TV. This week, he’s back hosting SNL for the premiere of Season 51.
His talent is undeniable and his popularity is unmatched. However, it’s not just Bad Bunny. Everywhere I look, Latin stars and culture are dominating.
This weekend, I saw Shakira headline Global Citizen, where 60,000 people gathered on The Great Lawn in Central Park to party with the purpose of helping solve global poverty. Not only did Shakira remind us why she deserves the top slot, but the whole event lived up to the experience with flawless production and unbelievable community turning out to support.
Sunday night, I popped by All Things Go, which sold out 3 days at Forest Hills. It was a beautifully produced festival that featured a fantastic line-up and an extremely uplifting, posting audience. The Maria’s, though, stole the show, rocking out in Spanish and English and delivering a masterclass on the final date of their current tour. Maria’s Latino pride was bursting through in the music, and the crowd was so fired up they were doing the wave.
But the complexity of the current moment for Latin stars really hit me while attending the taping of Marcelo’s Netflix special this past weekend (spoiler alert: it’s awesome). It’s awful to see what’s happening while folks like Marcelo try to keep it light. Bad Bunny didn’t do any shows in America on this latest run, for fear of ICE raids. Families are being broken up and the sentiment toward immigrants in the current administration is disheartening.
Latino culture is such a beautiful part of the American cultural tapestry. I’ve been surprised how few marketing campaigns have revolved around Hispanic Heritage Month. The Latino market is an under-serviced opportunity when it comes to brands and partnerships. There are so many gifted superstars with huge audiences that are loyal, passionate, and willing to spend money. Not marketing to these folks is crazy to me. Brands would be rewarded for showing up in these rooms and supporting these communities.
There are other indicators of the cultural shift. In the past few years, we’ve seen tequila become the top spirit, Modelo overtake Budweiser as the most popular beer, and tacos declared the most popular comfort food, beating out spaghetti and meatballs.
Multicultural marketing is a changing landscape, and the Latino market is where the real growth potential is for American brands. Plus, it has global reach. We’ve done some amazing campaigns in recent years, so we have the numbers to support the claim that this market is undeniable in terms of consumer loyalty. If you want to discuss opportunities here, let me know.
Speaking of Latino music, I sat down with legendary music manager, Lex Borrero, for his new podcast You Vs You. This was one of the deepest conversations I’ve ever had on record and I’m a huge fan of what he’s building with Neon16 and his team of rockstars. Very glad to be sharing an office building with them in Miami. Let me know what you think!
I also sat with the Brand Nerds, DC and Larry, for their podcast Brands, Bytes and Beats. We go deep on marketing tactics and strategies. Give it a listen!