Some Thoughts on Super Bowl Sunday from a Latina in PR

Another NFL season will wrap on Sunday when the Kansas City Chiefs face the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. Each year, this is more than a sports moment, it’s a major cultural moment that brings people together in unexpected ways. Whether you care about who takes home the Vince Lombardi trophy or not, the theatrics surrounding the Big Game will undoubtedly splash across your social media FYP or seep into your life, at least for a few days.?

For U.S. Hispanics, which represent the fastest-growing NFL fan base in the country, and hold $3.4 trillion dollars in purchasing power, there’s a huge opportunity for brands to connect with them during the biggest sports-watching moment of the year. In fact, Hispanic audience viewership of the Super Bowl has increased 51% from 2021 to 2024 according to Nielsen, and with all the hype surrounding this year’s game, we’re bound to see those numbers grow.?

As an agency that leverages the transformative power of Hispanic culture to connect with audiences, BODEN Agency is excited to see all the ways in which brands will show up this year and how the Hispanic-American experience will be infused into different aspects of the game.?

The Super Bowl offers a huge entertainment value proposition for Hispanic fans with the big three: 1) The game itself, 2) the conversation-driving commercials, and 3) the mini-concert in the middle of it all, aka the halftime show. Based on the media coverage and social buzz we’ve seen so far about the game, and the brands that have teased their spots to date, we’re hopeful that come Super Bowl Sunday, the vibrancy of Hispanic culture and the excitement of our football fandom comes through strongly.?

Talent on the Field

Only two out of 16 Latino players whose teams were in the playoffs will compete in the Super Bowl, both from the Kansas City Chiefs, including running back Isiah Pacheco (Puerto Rican and Dominican heritage) and punter Matt Araiza (Mexican heritage). The possibility of having no Latino players if circumstances were different underscores the larger lack of representation across the league and the need for greater diversity - from the field to the front office. Had the Buffalo Bills beaten the Kansas City Chiefs to advance to the Super Bowl, our community would have had no representation in the biggest NFL game of the year.?

Hispanics account for almost 20% of the U.S. population, so for the largest and most influential professional sports league in the world, there’s a lot of potential to help close this gap in player representation. While brands don’t have a direct hand in athletes that eventually play professionally, or even make it to the Super Bowl, they can help foster the potential for more representation with their corporate efforts, like supporting youth development programs, promoting cultural relevance with campaigns that celebrate heritage and resonate with Spanish-speaking communities, addressing obstacles to participation by helping remove barriers that may prevent kids’ access to the sport, and by prioritizing Latino athletes and other role models for brand campaigns.

It’s surprising to see that a two-time Super Bowl-winning running back like Isiah Pacheco, has had only a few brand deals since his NFL debut in 2022.?

Cultura x Commercials?

Beyond the action on the field, the other big draw is always the flood of Super Bowl commercials. This year, there will be approximately 80 different commercials during the broadcast. With brands vying to capture the attention and wallets of fans, and with such a huge financial investment from advertisers (this year’s spots cost upwards of $8 million for 30 seconds), brand marketers are deploying an entire earned, paid and social media strategy to amplify commercials pre- and post-game to generate the biggest ROI.?

Last year, Latinos were featured in many of the commercials of the big advertisers - from the food and beverage giants and car manufacturers, to beer, beauty and even financial service brands. In 2024, brands leaned into the tremendous purchasing power of Hispanics and created in-culture spots that would break through and drive impact. This year, from the spots teased or released so far, we’ve only seen a handful of brands that have put Hispanic talent front and center as part of their creative approach. In fact, as of the publishing of this article, Ad Age is reporting that Hispanic representation is severely lacking in this year’s crop of ads. We’re hoping that by the end of the broadcast on Sunday, this list has grown.?

• Mountain Dew x Becky G - One of 百事 's most iconic brands, Mountain Dew, returns to the Super Bowl this year to promote its fan-favorite Baja Blast flavor, with Latin pop star Becky G teaming up with legendary music artist Seal. The commercial puts an unexpected and borderline absurd twist on one of Seal’s most popular songs, playing into themes of nostalgia and big, bold flavors that are popular with Hispanic Gen Z flavor-seekers.?

• Bosch x Banderas - Bosch, the German technology brand, will be a Super Bowl advertiser for the first time, partnering with actor Antonio Banderas to promote its line of power tools and home appliances. In the commercial, Banderas plays opposite an actor portraying the deceased wrestling legend “Macho Man” Randy Savage, contrasting the strength, utility and style of Bosch products for the modern-day “do-it-yourself” man.

• Ritz x Bad Bunny - In its first-ever Super Bowl spot, Ritz plays into the theme of salty personalities with superstar Bad Bunny serving as comic relief to insert some lightheartedness into the “Ritz Salty Club.” Benito is joined on-screen by actors Michael Shannon and Aubrey Plaza (also a Latina) - who dial up their saltiness in front of a spread of Ritz crackers and other Super Bowl-worthy snacks. Working with talent like Bad Bunny is guaranteed to associate the longstanding brand with everyday food and snacking moments that are favored among multicultural consumers.?

Halftime Performance?

Coming off a hot weekend of winning five Grammy Awards, rapper Kendrick Lamar will take the stage as this year’s Super Bowl halftime headliner. Lamar, who paid homage to his Los Angeles roots by bringing in Mexican Mariachi singer Deyra Barrera to record on his latest album GNX, is continuing to show love to Chicano culture through the world of fashion.?

Fellow Angeleno and currently the hottest name in fashion, designer Willy Chavarria, collaborated on a Super Bowl-inspired clothing collection that integrates Lamar’s GNX album with their shared West Coast roots, Hispanic culture and football culture. Both artists, known for their outspoken stance on social and humanitarian causes, are donating proceeds from the collection to the Los Angeles wildfire relief efforts.?

This type of collaboration brings the right elements together to create social conversation, drive sales, and generate earned headlines: two giants in different industries (music and fashion) come together during the world’s biggest cultural event, to create something tangible that does good in the world. There’s never been a more true formula for successful brand marketing.?

Conclusion?

As a fan, I have no stake in the outcome of this year’s game, as my beloved Dallas Cowboys haven’t been to a Super Bowl in almost 30 years. But as a public relations professional, and someone who works at an agency that helps brands navigate the rapidly changing face of culture to future-proof their businesses, I tune in for the ways in which our discipline of strategic communications shines bright across all aspects of the Super Bowl.?

With Hispanic NFL viewership and ad spend both on the rise with each passing year, the stakes keep getting higher for brand marketers who need to show that their efforts are:

1. Culturally relevant
2. Capturing consumer attention
3. Driving immediate business results
4. Strengthening brand preference beyond this single moment?

By tapping into the deep human truths that fuel Latino fandom, and embracing inclusive representation across all communication channels, forward-looking brands can leverage the Super Bowl to have a bigger impact on the Hispanic community.