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Global music powerhouse Bad Bunny made cultural history over the weekend when he headlined the Super Bowl LX Halftime Show. This was the first largely Spanish-language performance of its kind at the NFL’s biggest entertainment moment.
Alongside his music and storytelling, the Puerto Rican artist used the stage to spotlight authentic Latino-owned businesses and creatives. This was an opportunity almost impossible to buy with money alone.
Villa’s Tacos From Backyard Stand to Global Spotlight
One of the most talked-about moments from the Super Bowl halftime show was when Bad Bunny greeted Victor Villa, the founder of Villa’s Tacos, a beloved Los Angeles taqueria. The brand began with selling tacos in his grandmother’s yard eight years ago.
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“We sold our first taco in the front yard of my grandma’s house in Highland Park more than 8 years ago & I feel that every taco along the way, brought me here,” Villa, who is a first-generation Mexican-American, wrote on Instagram
Suddenly, they are appearing to millions of viewers worldwide as part of the halftime show’s street vendor set.
On being selected, Villa said, “Honestly, it was bigger than I imagined,” he says. “I didn’t have the pleasure of asking Benito why he chose me. But getting to know him over the last three weeks, we both believe that love is greater than hate.”
This kind of exposure is extraordinary. A 30-second commercial during the Super Bowl costs around $8 to $10 million on average. The total campaign costs, including production and talent, can range from $12 million to 20 million or more. These huge sums are out of reach for most, if not all, small businesses. Villa’s Tacos didn’t pay for the ad; they were chosen for the spotlight, a rare moment for organic cultural amplification.
Toñita’s Caribbean Social Club
Another business that was featured was Toñita Cay of Toñita’s Caribbean Social Club. They are a long-standing Puerto Rican community hub in Brooklyn that has survived decades (since the 1970s) of changes brought by gentrification and offers food and community gatherings.
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Bad Bunny’s interaction with Toñita, captured during the live show, was both a nod to intergenerational legacy and a tribute to institutions that serve Latino neighborhoods.
Bad Bunny was also spotted greeting Toñita’s (Caribbean Social Club) owner, Maria Antonia “Toñita” Cay, during his performance.
Yomas Puerto Rican Design
Across the stage, Bad Bunny’s creative team also highlighted Yomas. They are a fashion brand founded by Puerto Rican designer Jomary Joma Segarra. Dancers wore pieces from Yoma’s collection.
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Just weeks before the show, she emptied her San Juan flagship store and sent pieces to the team, unsure if they’d make the final cut. They did.
For Segarra, the Super Bowl was about visibility. “By being in the Caribbean on a tiny island, it’s very difficult to be seen,” she told Bazaar. “It feels like a political act.”
This gave the brand reach well beyond its previous niche audience. Segarra makes everything in-house, focusing on technical innovation to reduce waste.
“I am very political about my work. He is very political, too,” Segarra told Harper’s Bazaar. “My work has a very Caribbean perspective, a marginalized perspective.
The Opportunity
For small businesses like Villa’s Tacos or iconic community institutions like Toñita’s, simply affording that level of exposure through traditional advertising would be virtually impossible. The Super Bowl’s global audience is estimated at over 120 million viewers in the U.S. alone, making ad time particularly coveted, but also prohibitively expensive for independent brands.
That’s what made Bad Bunny’s creative choices remarkable: he didn’t buy space as he shared the stage. And in doing so, he gave those businesses a moment of cultural and economic opportunity that might otherwise have taken yearsor never to achieve on their own terms.
Main Image: Bad Bunny and Maria Antonia “Toñita” Cay at the Super Bowl LX halftime performance on Feb. 8.
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