Rihanna and Fenty Beauty Played the Super Bowl Long Game, and Won

To end her seven-year performance hiatus, Rihanna had to pack a lot into her thunderous 13-minute Super Bowl Halftime Show. Snippets of 12 hit songs including “Rude Boy” and “Umbrella”? Check. Choreography from the Super Bowl’s "hidden MVP" Parris Goebel? Check. A custom electric red Loewe jumpsuit that was quickly unzipped to reveal a pregnancy bump? Check. A not-so-subtle nod to her own beauty brand Fenty? Check. While “All of the Lights” blasted from the speakers overhead in Glendale, Ariz., the artist took a Fenty compact from the outstretched hand of a dancer and applied two dabs of Invisimatte Instant Setting + Blotting Powder to her cheeks before getting back on the mic. Cheaper than a $7 million first-half spot, that’s for sure. Crucially, none of it felt cringeworthy or forced. For fans, it felt natural—expected, even. That’s because Rihanna has a reputation for unashamedly backing the business that's been her key focus away from the stage for the best part of a decade. View this post on Instagram A post shared by FENTY BEAUTY BY RIHANNA (@fentybeauty) “Her authenticity in pushing the brand she’s spent the last 10 years building up brick-by-brick shone through on Sunday night,” said Frankie Hobbs, global director of campaigns for influencer marketing agency GOAT. According to Launchmetrics, the performance helped garner $5.6 million in earned media in the first 12 hours for Fenty Beauty, and $2.6 million for clothing business Savage x Fenty. The blink-and-you’ll-miss-it makeup moment was so much more than a quick product placement from pop’s unbothered queen, though. Ever since Rihanna announced her Super Bowl 57 plans, Fenty has been carefully knitting itself into the discourse, offering a masterclass in marketing in the process. Welcome to the Fenty Bowl For DonYé Taylor, marketer, creator and founder of Taylored Consulting, the Super Bowl namedrop worked because there are few public figures as synonymous with their own brands as Rihanna is with her $2.8 billion beauty behemoth. "So it didn't seem forced," Taylor said. "This is what Rihanna is all about. She is about doing things big, grand and integrating them seamlessly." The marketer pointed to the cohesion in the visual performance itself, noting how Goebel had already worked with the musician on the production of Amazon Prime's Savage X Fenty shows. According to social analytics firm Brandwatch, mentions of Fenty increased on digital platforms like Twitter and TikTok by 717% following Rihanna’s Apple Music-sponsored performance. Positive sentiment shot up 781%, with over half (56%) of mentions using joyous language, demonstrating audience excitement. This is what Rihanna is all about. She is about doing things big, grand, and integrating them seamlessly.DonYé Taylor, founder, Taylored Consulting A mix of forward planning and reactive marketing formed the backbone of Fenty’s strategy, which largely played out on social. Ahead of Feb. 12, the brand posted a video showing a conveyor belt of American footballs being doused in Fenty Beauty foundation to TikTok and Instagram, with no mention of the NFL. The business hosted a Game Day hub selling a special collection of Super Bowl-themed beauty products, including a football shaped sponge and a stadium-approved NFL bag. Fenty Beauty launched a range of Super-Bowl themed beauty products ahead of the Big Game Elsewhere, Rihanna’s lingerie and sleepwear brand Savage x Fenty dropped a line of limited edition merch, including a slogan T-shirt that encapsulated the vibe perfectly: “Rihanna concert interrupted by a football game, weird but whatever.” During the show itself, Rihanna wore a face full of Fenty, and her dancers were clad in Savage x Fenty. The former's social media team quickly meme-ified her performance and directed fans to buy the same outfits seen on the crew. View this post on Instagram A post shared by SAVAGE X FENTY BY RIHANNA (@savagexfenty) Joe Saw, director of operations at social media agency Fanbytes by Brainlabs, said both brands went the distance to ensure they were just as prominent as Rihanna herself on the night. "They also hosted top beauty influencers at the game, including a trip to Arizona that was plastered over social media," he said "This was complemented brilliantly by perfectly timed drops and competitions to drive full-funnel conversions." A new era for Rihanna? From a personal branding perspective, Taylor suggested the high-profile pregnancy announcement—which was confirmed by the singer's rep immediately after the show—could signal a new business era for Rihanna too. The artist became a mom for the first time nine months ago. At the start of 2023, she was widely reported to have filed a trademark for Fenty Kids, a baby and children's line consisting of clothes, accessories and footwear. Super Bowl halftime ads used to be the thing to watch out for. Now, it could be how the performer uses such a captive audience to push their own brand.Frankie Hobbs, global director of campaigns, GOAT "Now I'm seeing this as a lifeline to extend that conversation," Taylor said. "There's now so much buzz around her being pregnant for the second time. Based on how strategic she's been in the past, I don't see Fenty Kids being any different." Taylor said Rihanna's performance should, at the very least, give marketers food for thought. "Brands think too hard when it comes to selling; they want to do things in a cool way," she explained. "Sometimes that's not the most efficient way. Rihanna did it seamlessly with the perfect hybrid of creativity and functionality." Rihanna Shines Bright in Apple Music Super Bowl 57 Halftime Show GOAT's Hobbs said it's hard to see how similar product placements could live up to Rihanna's, but he's not doubting that brands will give it a go for Super Bowl 58. "Super Bowl halftime adverts used to be the thing to watch out for. Now, it could be how the performer uses such a captive audience to push their own brand or even one they’ve been paid to promote‚that’s the next step," he said.