Kanye West enjoyed a victory of sorts on Sunday evening after spending $7million of his own money to share a homemade video during the Super Bowl.
The outlandish rapper was in attendance at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas as Kansas City Chiefs triumphed over San Francisco 49ers to claim their third title in five years.
But if his Alexander McQueen designed crucifix mask hadn’t already commanded enough attention, the zero-budget commercial filmed to promote a new merchandising campaign certainly did.
The 25-second clip, apparently filmed on a mobile phone, finds West – his voice clearly affected by newly fitted titanium dentures – urging viewers to visit his Yeezy website as he travels in the backseat of a car.
‘Since we spent all the money on the commercial spot we actually didn’t spend any money on the actual commercial,’ he admits. ‘But the idea is I want you to go to Yeezy.com, and I got some shoes, and ummmm… that’s it.’
Kanye West enjoyed a victory of sorts on Sunday evening after spending $7million of his own money to share a homemade video during the Super Bowl
The 25-second clip, apparently filmed on a mobile phone, finds West urging viewers to visit his Yeezy website as he travels in the backseat of a car
Brands including Dunkin’ Donuts, Mountain Dew, Uber Eats and Oreo spent an average $7million apiece to secure an advertising spot during Sunday evening’s Super Bowl – watched by 114million across the globe.
But while West’s bizarre homemade addition to the TV schedule was at odds with the glossy, big-budget commercials that aired on Sunday, fans claimed it was a stroke of marketing genius.
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one impressed viewer wrote: ‘The genius that is Kanye West. Put a commercial on the Super Bowl that will trend beyond the Super Bowl.’
A second added: ‘Greatest Super Bowl commercial there is.’
While a third admitted: ‘I didn’t watch the Superbowl but I have seen this ad 3 times. Pretty genius of you actually.’
Elsewhere a fourth wrote: ‘Ye’s #Superbowl commercial is the mosy Ye commercial ever.’
The ad appeared to be a clever marketing ploy after West – who has rebranded himself as the abbreviated Ye – withdrew his latest album, Vultures 1, from streaming platforms and modified its cover art.
Sunday’s commercial prompted fans to visit his website, where new album related merchandise is available to buy. The album returned to streaming platforms on Monday morning.
West stepped into enemy territory as he arrived to the Super Bowl on Sunday – where his rival Taylor Swift and ex-wife Kim Kardashian were both in attendance.
The rapper was completely in disguise as he headed to the big game hand-in-hand with his wife Bianca Censori.
He wore a crucifix mask by Alexander McQueen, black leather jacket, and glossy leather trousers while Bianca sported a jacket and glossy hooded accessory.
The designer mask was placed snugly over his head covering and was perhaps worn in tribute to the late designer, who died on February 11, 2010.
Kanye’s marriage to Kim officially ended in 2021, and she has since begun dating Odell Beckham Jr.
