Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, also known as Bad Bunny, recently won the artist of the year at MTV’s Video Music Awards 2022, the first non-English language performer to win the title, according to the L.A. Times.
Additionally, he is the first Hispanic to earn the “top played” label on Spotify in 2020 and was named among the 100 more influential persons by Time Magazine. Pitchfork, a music portal that provides commentary and analysis, included him in their 200 most prominent artist of the last 25 years.
You already know him. His music is everywhere where the party is.
“I always knew I could become a huge artist without changing my culture, slang, and language. I am Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, from Puerto Rico to the world.” Bad Bunny.
The ascendance of Bad Bunny and other music stars shows that uncompromised Latinx community members share their talent, language, and art on their terms. More importantly, their art is being embraced by the overall USA Market and the global community. Gone are the days when to be accepted, artists and personalities had to anglicize their offerings.
Focusing only on Bad Bunny’s music is a mistake. The artist gives us lessons beyond show business, strategic branding, and music production. Bad Bunny, aka Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, brings us the opportunity to look deeper into expression, creativity, and vibe. Business leaders should use these valuable insights in the cultural space to expand brand impact.
Three Lessons We Can Learn from Bad Bunny as a Leader in the Cultural Space
1.-Authenticity
Sometimes, managers and leaders believe their uniqueness results from a process instead of being a core aspect of the brand. Bad Bunny shows us that we can break down norms and expectations and produce what feels authentic for us. More importantly, that uniqueness is at the center of our value proposition.
As leaders, we can evaluate our unique value propositions starting within and not focusing so much on the competition. Putting time and effort into knowing our brand, core capabilities, cultural spaces, and people can help us refine what makes our company unique and uncompromising.
This introspection exercise helps us to construct the brand narrative instead of relying on external factors.
2.-Let Others Feel Your Vibe
When Trevor Noah interviewed Bad Bunny, El Conejo Malo attributed his popularity, despite only rapping and singing in Spanish, to the fact that people can “feel” him.
“People can feel me. I’m Latino; I’m Puerto Rican. Yo soy de Puerto Rico. People can feel that you know? No matter…no importa de tu sea, lo vas sentirlo, como que, why do I have to change? This is my music. This is my culture. If you don’t like it, don’t listen to me. If you like it, you know.”
Companies can be part of cultural spaces and successfully communicate their vibe beyond their product or service. People who approach your brand and value proposition must feel and experience what makes your company unique.
3.- Showing Pride
Be proud of your brand, value proposition, and vibe, along with the pride of your products and services. Celebrate the uniqueness of your corporate culture and how you differ from others.
Remember that we do not need to fit into others’ cultural boxes, but with introspection and analysis, we can create our own cultural and creative spaces that impact our business in all aspects.
In conclusion, El Conejo Malo- Bad Bunny shows us marketing professionals, business leaders, and brand owners how true cultural influence is possible when we are confident and uncompromising in our identity, creativity, and the impact of our brands in the cultural space.
__________
Novle can help your business integrate with the Hispanic-LatinX Market bringing meaningful profitability to your bottom line. Subscribe to our mailing list for updated community activations, or contact us directly HERE.