Apple Inc. AAPL played a major role in Super Bowl LIX without overtly advertising its products, a move that YouTuber and reviewer Nikias Molina called "discretely genius."
What Happened: On Monday, in a series of posts on X, formerly Twitter, Molina said that Apple focused on culture, music, and community engagement.
He highlighted that Apple CEO Tim Cook attended the Super Bowl alongside Senior VP Eddy Cue. Its executives were on the ground reinforcing the company's deep ties to the event.
Apple Music also continued its sponsorship of the halftime show, featuring artist of the month Kendrick Lamar as the headliner.
The YouTuber described the sponsorship as "stunning product placement" without the need for direct advertising. At the end of the show, Apple even introduced a promotional offer—six months of Apple Music for just $2.99.
“Apple isn't pushing the iPhone or AirPods in your face. Instead, it's aligning itself with music, culture, and the biggest entertainment event of the year,” he stated.
He summed up, saying, "Apple doesn't need to show an iPhone at the Super Bowl because it owns the culture around it. This is long-term brand building at its finest."
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Molina currently has more than 347,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel and over 40,000 followers on X. He is known for conducting interviews with senior Apple executives like Sumbul Desai, Apple's Vice President of Health.
Why It's Important: Apple signed a deal with the NFL in 2022 to sponsor the Super Bowl halftime show, replacing Pepsi as the official sponsor.
The partnership saw major success in 2023 and 2024, with halftime performances from Rihanna and Usher drawing huge global audiences.
The Super Bowl 2025 also set a new viewership record. An average of 126 million people tuned in to watch the Philadelphia Eagles face off against the Kansas City Chiefs on Feb. 9, reported Variety.
Price Action: Apple’s stock dipped 0.29% in after-hours trading, settling at $227. Earlier on Monday, it closed at $227.65, reflecting a 0.12% gain, according to Benzinga Pro data.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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