Silence, Brand! 🦀 why is everyone crying to Bad Bunny's new album?
🦀 A Silence, Brand! Deep Dive by Dejaih Smith
Bad Bunny’s new album, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS [DtMF] is
UNAPOLOGETICALLY AUTHENTIC
When asked how he feels about listeners who don’t understand the Spanish colloquialisms embedded in his music, Bad Bunny sings in reply, “I doooon’t caaAAaaAAAaArrreee! 🎶”
Not everyone can relate to this album that is so Puerto Rican coded.
However, non-Spanish speakers with no ties to Latin culture found themselves in tears listening to the album because they felt so connected.
I’ve never seen an album trend this fast, with microtrends popping up for almost every single song.
It’s like the entire internet collectively said, “We’re making this the moment,” and honestly? They understood the assignment.
Bad Bunny himself was in tears seeing everyone share their stories to his music:
The target demographic
The back cover of the DtMF album reads, “Este proyecto es dedicado a todos los puertorriqueños y puertorriqueñas en el mundo entero” or, “This project is dedicated to all the Puerto Ricans throughout the entire world.”
The attention paid to tapping into the psychographics–grouping people by lifestyle, values, and interests–of Bad Bunny’s audience on the front of the album that invites the world in.
Bad Bunny’s latest album is a masterclass in authenticity, weaving his roots into a body of work that feels both deeply personal and universally resonant—a strategy that’s been wildly successful for artists like Beyoncé with Cowboy Carter.
Titled DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS (I Should’ve Taken More Photos in English), the album is a raw and reflective homage to Puerto Rico. It’s a time capsule and a love letter, capturing the island’s history, culture, and future like a magic mirror.
In an interview with Jimmy Fallon, Bad Bunny explained the title reflects his desire to live more in the moment, treasuring the present.
To embody this theme, he announced a residency in Puerto Rico titled No Me Quiero Ir De Aquí (I Don’t Want to Leave Here). It’s more than a performance—it’s a celebration of his home, an invitation for fans to experience the culture firsthand, and a commitment to supporting the island.
For brands obsessing over what it means to be "authentic," Bad Bunny offers the ultimate lesson: be unapologetically true to yourself, and your audience will follow.
Authenticity isn’t a buzzword—it’s a way of being.
What’s up with Puerto Rico?
To truly grasp this album, you need to understand the recent political and cultural tensions in Puerto Rico.
From a Trump rally comedian calling the island "a floating island of garbage" to a pro-statehood governor winning the election, followed by a NYE blackout and an American tourist committing arson—it's been a tough few months.
Bad Bunny’s album couldn’t have come at a better time.
DtMF dropped on January 5th, landing just in time for one of Puerto Rico’s most beloved holiday celebrations: El Día de Reyes (Three Kings Day), also known as Epiphany. This tradition commemorates the Three Wise Men visiting baby Jesus and is marked by joyous caravans to Juana Díaz, where the celebration comes alive.
The release wasn’t just music—it felt like an intentional moment, tying the album to the cultural heartbeat of Puerto Rico, reminding everyone of the importance of tradition, community, and showing up for the present.
A social-first campaign reaches a global audience
For this launch, Bad Bunny enrolled everyone in YouTube University, curating a playlist that offered a bite-sized yet impactful display of Puerto Rican history.
Before the album's release, he debuted a short film critiquing the effects of gentrification on the island, posing the question: What’s a Puerto Rico without Puerto Ricans? Through this cultural anthropology masterclass, he grounded his art in deep social commentary.
Here’s the genius: YouTube, with over 2 billion monthly active users, is the go-to platform for over 70% of Hispanic consumers in the U.S. to stream music and video content. Bad Bunny leveraged this digital hub to connect directly with his community, creating a bridge across the Latin American Diaspora.
The album isn't just music—it's a rallying cry, a cultural moment, and a powerful call to action for his audience worldwide.
The album has resonated so deeply that even "no sabo kids"—a term often used to describe second-generation Latinos who struggle with Spanish—are feeling inspired to learn the language through its lyrics.
Bad Bunny's work isn't just music; it's a cultural bridge, empowering listeners to reconnect with their heritage one song at a time.
Unapologetically Spanish
The entire campaign is unapologetically in Spanish, crafted for Bad Bunny’s target audience to connect with their own country’s history. For those outside this demographic eager to understand Puerto Rico’s story, the slideshows are there to translate and interpret.
There’s no time wasted on typical lyric videos or sing-along tracks; instead, the focus is on fostering a deeper understanding of the historical and cultural references woven into each song.
This album’s historical musicology is firmly rooted in community and heritage, offering a profound exploration of what it means to be Puerto Rican. From the language to the visuals, Bad Bunny’s campaign is a love letter to his homeland and a celebration of the richness and resilience of Latino culture.
Sapo Concho stans
One of the standout elements of the album rollout is its adorable mascot: Sapo Concho. This endangered toad, native to Puerto Rico, has become the face of the record, drawing attention to the island’s biodiversity and the environmental challenges it faces.
While many are familiar with the iconic Puerto Rican coquí, Sapo Concho helps highlight the need for conservation efforts, mirroring the broader themes of preserving Puerto Rican identity amidst gentrification.
But what truly elevates Bad Bunny’s YouTube campaign is its thoughtful execution. With guidance from Jorell Meléndez-Badillo, Ph.D.—a Latin American historian and professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison—each visualizer in the album’s playlist serves as both a musical and educational experience.
Together, they offer bite-sized history lessons, creating a multimedia tribute to Puerto Rico’s past, present, and future.
DtMF micro-trends explained
The title track, DtMF, hit everyone straight in the heart, leaving fans in tears as they reflected on memories and wished they had taken more photos of loved ones who’ve passed away.
Even the daughter of Brazilian football legend Pelé joined the trend, sharing a touching series of photos that amplified the song’s emotional resonance.
Once non-Spanish speakers translated the lyrics, they felt an even deeper connection to DtMF and continued translating songs as they listened to the album. Many expressed a newfound commitment to learning Spanish, expanding the album’s reach far beyond its target audience.
This unexpected engagement showcases how psychographics, not just demographics, played a key role in the album's massive success.
If you’re anything like me, the FOMO from missing the celebrations was intense. But fans turned that energy into something extraordinary, fueling microtrends across social media that celebrated the album and its cultural roots. From heartfelt tributes to creative UGC, the launch became a collective love letter to Bad Bunny and Puerto Rico, proving the power of community-driven content.
A masterclass in heritage
Bad Bunny’s approach to this project offers a masterclass for brands looking to authentically connect with their audience without diluting their heritage. By prioritizing brand love over rigid KPIs, he’s created a genuine bond with his audience, showing that meaningful engagement can outweigh surface-level metrics.
His use of psychographic segmentation is especially noteworthy—crafting a campaign that deeply resonates with his core demographic while inviting others to engage on their terms. And he’s not just stopping at an album; with his residency announcement, he’s extending a heartfelt invitation to experience his world firsthand in Puerto Rico.
No tour?
No problem.
He’s turned his home into a destination, proving that true connection can transcend traditional playbooks.
However, there is a little quiz you need to take to show you’re a true fan:
His audience’s response to the residency announcement has been so overwhelming that additional performance dates had to be added. This level of excitement shows just how deeply connected his fans are to the experience he’s creating—proof that investing in authenticity and community pays off in ways that go beyond expectations.
This is why focusing on brand heritage and creating a cohesive brand universe with the support of your audience matters. By prioritizing authenticity and inviting your community into your story, you create moments that solidify cultural influence, spanning from your branding to your industry impact.
Silence, Brand! is an internet culture and marketing newsletter compiled by unhinged brand marketing professionals—an elite army of internet idiots.