Beyond the Backlash
INSIGHTS AT THE INTERSECTION OF INCLUSION, ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL RECRUITMENT AND GEN Z
VOLUME 11: What Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Performance Tells Us About Gen Z
By Olivia Valenti, DE&I Strategy Advisor
Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl LX Halftime Show was one of the most watched in recent history, drawing in 128.2 million live viewers and 4 billion social media views within 24 hours (per NYT & USA Today).
What distinguished this performance, particularly among Gen Z audiences, was its messaging. Bad Bunny’s set emphasized unity, inclusion, and cultural pride and identity, culminating in the displayed message: “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.” Viewer reactions on social media show that young fans not only enjoyed the music and entertainment of Bad Bunny’s performance, but connected deeply with the themes of love over division and authentic representations of diverse communities.
Audience data also shows why this matters for organizations like the NFL: over 70% of Bad Bunny’s YouTube audience is Gen Z, a demographic that traditional NFL viewership struggles to reach (less than 30% of the NFL’s YouTube Audience is Gen Z per Tubular Labs). The broader lesson is clear, Gen Z values inclusivity, connection, authentic representations of identity, and purpose, and they engage more strongly when those values are reflected in culture and communication.
When a message like “love is more powerful than hate” resonates widely in public spaces, it also reflects what many younger professionals seek in their employers: environments where diversity and belonging is not only honored, but embedded in organizational values.
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