Rihanna has proven her savvy business acumen by leveraging the buzz of her halftime performance at Super Bowl 2023.
This Sunday, on February 12, 2023 (local time), the Super Bowl, the 57th edition of America’s most prestigious football event, will take place. As tradition dictates, during the halftime break, the Super Bowl organizers invite a music superstar to perform at the stadium, keeping the energy alive for the game. For the year 2023, Rihanna has been chosen to take on this halftime performance.
When this news spread, social media erupted with excitement. Partly because Rihanna had previously declined to perform at the Super Bowl in 2019. Another part was due to Rihanna’s decreased involvement in the music industry after focusing on her successful business ventures. To reassure her fans, the singer confirmed that she would release a new album after giving birth and that her performance at the Super Bowl would mark her comeback in the music world.
The Super Bowl is one of the most-watched live television programs not only in North America but globally. It is estimated that about 100 million people tune in to watch this live broadcast every year. Therefore, many brands compete to be featured alongside the Super Bowl. Of course, these brands have to invest heavily in a 30-second commercial spot, which can cost up to $7 million.
However, Rihanna is a shrewd businesswoman. She saw the opportunity to use her Super Bowl performance to promote her own brands, Fenty Beauty cosmetics and Fenty x Savage lingerie.
Rihanna appeared wearing Savage x Fenty lingerie and using Fenty Beauty makeup during her music promotion for the Super Bowl. The audience took notice because Rihanna had not released new music for several years.
As soon as Rihanna confirmed her performance at the Super Bowl, her fashion and beauty brands launched advertising campaigns featuring football-themed imagery. “The genius behind Fenty’s advertising campaign is remarkable,” one user commented on Instagram.
In addition to that, the singer quickly released a limited edition collection capitalizing on the Super Bowl frenzy. In Phoenix, the city where the live game will take place, Fenty Beauty set up a pop-up store where Rihanna’s fans can shop for these limited edition items.
All of Rihanna’s brands have special collections tied to her performance. According to tradition, the stars do not receive payment for their Super Bowl performances, as they exchange it for the media exposure the live TV program brings. Rihanna took it a step further by turning the program into a shopping extravaganza for her personal brands.