Bad Bunny smashed records in 2020 when El Último Tour del Mundo became the first fully Spanish-language album to top the Billboard 200. Now, the Super Bowl 60 headliner is set to make history again as he performs the halftime show entirely in Spanish.
That’s why, ahead of the big game, language learning app Duolingo wants fans to brush up on their language skills.
In a campaign fronted by its unhinged owl mascot Duo, set to air during the AFC and NFC championship games from Saturday, Jan. 24, the platform is encouraging its 50 million daily users to learn “Bad Bunny 101.”
A 15-second animated film will be at the heart of the TV push, broadcast on CBS and Fox in cities including New York and San Francisco. It shows Duo dressed as Bad Bunny in a suit jacket and a Puerto Rican pava hat, as the character playfully walks viewers through Spanish phrases inspired by his music and lyrics.
The language is already the second-most spoken in the U.S., with approximately 43 million people speaking it as their primary language.
Pre-game buzz
Duolingo bought a five-second Super Bowl commercial in 2024 showing Duo farting, fresh from a butt-lift surgery. But more recently, it has just run adjacent activations, including “killing off” the green owl on Super Bowl Sunday 2025.
Duolingo’s chief marketing officer (CMO), Manu Orssaud, told ADWEEK that while the Super Bowl broadcast is a spectacle, the culture build is all in the lead-up.
“That’s when fans are sharing, obsessing, and anticipating what’s next. Instead of a one-time splash during the Game, we focused on meeting Bad Bunny fans where they already are — online — and helping them prep before an iconic, all-Spanish halftime show,” he said.
He added: “We believe language creates access, and this approach lets us be part of the moment in a way that feels more authentic and useful.”
Despite forgoing an in-game spot, which cost $8 million for 30-seconds, Duolingo’s pre-game TV push will be supported by audio placements on Spotify, Pandora, SiriusXM, and SoundCloud, targeting Bad Bunny listeners.
Social creative will refresh in the countdown to the Big Game, with five-second reminder ads also scheduled during the Grammys.
Bad Bunny and Apple Music recently unveiled the official trailer for the artist’s Super Bowl performance, inviting the world to dance.
