In a stunning corporate shake-up that sent shockwaves through both the tech and entertainment worlds, Samsung Electronics announced Friday that it is withdrawing its sponsorship of Super Bowl LX, citing “creative differences” and “a deep commitment to American values.”
The announcement comes just days after the NFL confirmed that Puerto Rican rapper and global superstar Bad Bunny would headline the upcoming Super Bowl halftime show in Las Vegas — a decision that, apparently, didn’t sit well with Samsung executives.
“We at Samsung have always stood for innovation, quality, and cultural alignment with our customers,” said Mark Reynolds, Vice President of U.S. Brand Strategy at Samsung. “After careful review of the halftime show’s direction, we concluded that this year’s performance does not reflect the values we wish to associate with.”
In a follow-up post on social media, Samsung added bluntly:
“We believe in American values.”
The post quickly went viral, amassing over 5 million views within an hour — and sparking a firestorm of debate that could only happen in modern America.
Industry analysts were quick to call Samsung’s move “unprecedented,” especially given the company’s long history of attaching its logo to nearly every major sporting event on the planet.
“This is not just a lost ad spot,” said Elliot Green, a marketing consultant at BrandVerse Media. “This is Samsung taking a moral stance — or pretending to — depending on who you ask.”
Green added that the company’s decision likely reflects “a calculated move to distance itself from controversy,” after reports surfaced that Bad Bunny’s planned performance would include politically charged imagery, reggaeton reinterpretations of the national anthem, and possibly dancers dressed as colonial-era kings.
“Half the audience wants him to bring out Shakira again,” Green said. “The other half just wants the commercials.”
Sources inside Samsung’s U.S. marketing team described a tense internal meeting earlier this week, during which executives reportedly watched a teaser of Bad Bunny’s halftime rehearsal.
One anonymous employee said the room “went completely silent” after the first 30 seconds.
“There was a scene with dancers wearing golden crowns and smashing televisions,” the source explained. “Then Bad Bunny yelled something about ‘no kings, no borders,’ and that’s when the CFO just closed his laptop.”
By Wednesday morning, Samsung’s sponsorship deal — valued at roughly $50 million — was quietly withdrawn.
According to insiders, the official reasoning given to the NFL was that the brand wanted to “refocus its investments toward future technology events.” But privately, the message was clear: “We’re not paying for a halftime show that looks like a TikTok revolution.”
The NFL’s media relations department was reportedly blindsided by Samsung’s decision, which comes only months before the February event.
A spokesperson for the league tried to downplay the fallout, saying,
“We respect Samsung’s decision and remain grateful for their years of partnership. The Super Bowl continues to attract brands that reflect the diversity and excitement of the American spirit.”
Translation, according to one PR expert: “We’ll call Apple next.”
Rumors have already begun swirling that Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) or Coca-Cola might step in to fill Samsung’s sponsorship slot, though neither company has commented.
Bad Bunny himself appeared unfazed by the corporate drama. When asked by reporters outside a Los Angeles studio if he had any comment on Samsung’s withdrawal, he simply shrugged.
“I’m still performing, bro,” he said with a grin. “If they don’t like it, they can watch something else.”
Later, in an Instagram Live session, he added,
“I don’t do politics — I do music. If my music makes people think, that’s on them.”
Fans quickly flooded social media with support, launching the hashtag #BadBunnySuperBowl and mocking Samsung’s decision. One tweet read:
“Samsung believes in American values — like canceling someone for dancing too hard.”
Another added:
“Guess I’m switching to iPhone.”
Within hours of the announcement, Samsung’s stock dipped by 3%, a modest but noticeable drop attributed to backlash from younger consumers.
Social media platforms became battlegrounds for what one commenter dubbed “the first corporate culture war of 2025.”
On X, conservative commentators praised Samsung for “standing up for traditional values,” while liberal users accused the brand of “pretending to be patriotic to sell more TVs.”
Even late-night comedians got in on the action.
“Samsung says it’s pulling out of the Super Bowl because of Bad Bunny,” joked one host. “Meanwhile, America pulled out of cultural unity years ago.”
Critics have pointed out that Samsung — a South Korean company — invoking “American values” is, at best, ironic.
“Samsung’s entire business model depends on globalism, outsourcing, and international supply chains,” noted political columnist Grace Martinez. “But sure, they’re suddenly the torchbearers of Americana.”
Still, others argue the phrase was less about nationalism and more about branding.
“‘American values’ is corporate code for ‘We don’t want angry letters from parents,’” said cultural analyst Dr. Nolan Pierce. “It’s the same reason every ad now ends with a dog, a flag, or a dad with a grill.”
The controversy has put the NFL in a tough spot — torn between the league’s lucrative relationships with conservative-leaning advertisers and its desire to appeal to younger, more diverse audiences.
“Bad Bunny was supposed to bring in Gen Z viewers,” said a marketing insider familiar with the decision. “Now half of middle America thinks the halftime show is going to be a Spanish-language uprising.”
Reports suggest that several smaller sponsors are “reevaluating their involvement,” while others — including Nike and Pepsi — are “staying put for now.”
In a statement Friday evening, the NFL reassured fans that the halftime show “will celebrate music, culture, and unity.”
The statement did not specify whether any of that would involve auto-tune.
Meanwhile, Samsung has begun quietly walking back the intensity of its original statement. A company spokesperson clarified late Friday that the decision was “purely business-related” and “not a reflection of any artist personally.”
However, that clarification was undermined by the company’s official U.S. Twitter account, which tweeted a photo of an American flag waving on a Galaxy phone screen with the caption:
“We stand for innovation — and for our values 🇺🇸📱”
The post has since been deleted, but not before thousands of users screenshotted it.
As the dust settles, both Samsung and the NFL are discovering the same modern truth: in the age of viral outrage, everyone loses a little.
Samsung’s marketing gamble may have bought it short-term attention, but at the cost of alienating the very audience it was trying to reach.
Meanwhile, Bad Bunny’s halftime show is now guaranteed to draw record-breaking ratings — if only from curious viewers tuning in to see what all the fuss is about.
Even one NFL executive admitted privately,
“Honestly, we should be thanking Samsung. They just made this the most talked-about halftime show in years.”
In a press release issued late Saturday, Samsung reiterated its “respect for artistic expression” but stood firm in its decision.
“Samsung remains committed to supporting events that align with our values of unity, progress, and respect,” the statement read. “We wish the NFL and Mr. Bunny all the best in their upcoming performance.”
Meanwhile, on Instagram, Bad Bunny posted a photo of himself wearing a cowboy hat and holding a Galaxy phone with the caption:
“Still using Samsung tho 💅🏽.”
The post received over 10 million likes in 24 hours.
Because in the end, no matter how much corporations posture about values — it’s still the artists who make the noise.