The Super Bowl halftime show, headlined by Usher this year, not only promotes an artist’s popular hits to over 100 million viewers but also serves as an effective marketing platform for new projects related to music, film, and even fashion products. Usher made the most of the occasion by releasing his album ‘Coming Home’ just two days prior to the Super Bowl and directing audience interest towards his North American tour set to begin this summer. This practice of timing new music releases with Super Bowl performances has been observed with other artists too, with The Weeknd and Justin Timberlake releasing their albums around their Super Bowl appearances.
Stars also use the event to promote non-musical endeavors. A prominent example is Beyoncé who, after her 2013 performance, released a documentary film, ‘Life Is But a Dream’, based on her life and career. Similarly, during her halftime show appearance, Rihanna integrated a makeup collection for her Fenty Beauty line, which gained significant media attention and boosts in social media mentions.
Special promotional strategies extend to partnerships as well. Prior to his Super Bowl performance, Usher became the new face of Skims, Kim Kardashian’s underwear brand, which is also assisting with the promotion of his new album. The industry is keen to see how Usher leverages his broad Super Bowl platform to further propel the brand.
Historically, Super Bowl halftime shows have been significant opportunities for artists to boost their music sales and streams. For instance, Rihanna experienced a 390% boost in song sales and a 211% increase in streams from the Friday before to the Monday after her halftime show. Shakira and Jennifer Lopez witnessed streaming gains of 267% and 187% respectively after their 2020 Super Bowl performance.
The halftime show not only benefits performers but also has a wider industry impact, reflected in the spikes in sales, streaming numbers, and subsequent chart performance. The substantial audience reach also allows performers to use the platform to share new projects and promote collaborations and brand partnerships, furthering both their art and business ventures.
Source: How The Super Bowl Halftime Show Can Be A Marketing Opportunity—For Music, Film And Fashion.
