Duolingo & Bad Bunny: Super Bowl Campaign Boosts Spanish Learning

Bad Bunny’s upcoming Super Bowl 60 halftime performance, set to be entirely in Spanish, is prompting a unique marketing response. Language learning platform Duolingo is launching a campaign designed to capitalize on the cultural moment and encourage fans to brush up on their Spanish language skills.

A Cultural Shift in Entertainment

In 2020, Bad Bunny broke records with his album El Último Tour del Mundo, becoming the first all-Spanish language album to reach the top of the Billboard 200 chart. This established his position as a major force in music, and now, his Super Bowl performance represents a further expansion of Spanish-language representation in mainstream American entertainment.

Duolingo’s Strategic Response

Duolingo’s campaign, fronted by its mascot Duo the owl, will roll out during the AFC and NFC championship games starting January 24th. The platform is offering “Bad Bunny 101” lessons to its 50 million daily users. A 15-second animated film, broadcast on CBS and Fox in cities like New York and San Francisco, will feature Duo playfully teaching Spanish phrases inspired by Bad Bunny’s music.

Did You Know? Approximately 43 million people in the U.S. speak Spanish as their primary language.

This move comes after Duolingo’s previous Super Bowl-adjacent marketing efforts, including a commercial in 2024 featuring Duo and a more recent campaign that involved “killing off” the owl mascot on Super Bowl Sunday 2025.

Focus on Cultural Engagement

According to Duolingo’s chief marketing officer, Manu Orssaud, the company is prioritizing building anticipation for the performance rather than relying on a single in-game advertisement, which costs $8 million for 30 seconds. Orssaud stated that the focus is on “meeting Bad Bunny fans where they already are — online — and helping them prep before an iconic, all-Spanish halftime show.”

Duolingo believes that “language creates access” and aims to be a useful part of the cultural moment. The pre-game push will be supported by audio placements on Spotify, Pandora, SiriusXM, and SoundCloud, targeting listeners of Bad Bunny’s music. Social media content will also be updated leading up to the Super Bowl, with five-second reminder ads scheduled to air during the Grammys.

Expert Insight: By focusing on pre-game engagement and leveraging Bad Bunny’s popularity, Duolingo is attempting to create a more authentic and sustained connection with potential users than a traditional, high-cost Super Bowl ad might allow. This strategy suggests a shift towards prioritizing cultural relevance over sheer broadcast reach.

Apple Music is the official sponsor of the Super Bowl Halftime Show, taking over from Pepsi in 2023. They announced Bad Bunny as the headliner in September, with the performance scheduled for February 8th at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Duolingo’s campaign centered around?

Duolingo’s campaign is centered around preparing fans for Bad Bunny’s all-Spanish Super Bowl halftime performance by offering “Bad Bunny 101” Spanish lessons.

Where will Duolingo’s campaign be broadcast?

The campaign’s 15-second animated film will be broadcast on CBS and Fox in cities including New York and San Francisco during the AFC and NFC championship games.

What did Duolingo do for the Super Bowl in previous years?

In 2024, Duolingo ran a five-second Super Bowl commercial featuring Duo. In 2025, they ran adjacent activations, including a campaign that involved “killing off” the green owl mascot on Super Bowl Sunday.

As Bad Bunny prepares to take the stage, will this marketing strategy inspire more widespread interest in learning Spanish among American audiences?