For those few who’ve never heard of Kanye (or rather YE) West: allow me to introduce him, courtesy of a mix between Wikipedia and ChatGPT:
“Ye (born Kanye Omari West on June 8, 1977, in Atlanta) is an American music producer, entrepreneur, and fashion designer with 24 Grammy Awards and multiple No. 1 hits. In 2020, he even ran for President of the United States.”
2024
For those who already have a strong opinion: hear me out.
One of Kanye’s most brilliantly chaotic moments was his appearance during the 2024 Super Bowl.
According to him, he spent his entire budget on buying the ad slot itself, leaving nothing for production.
So what did he do? He just recorded the commercial on his phone, sitting in the backseat of a car.
Check out the result below 👇
A stunt that, according to several sources, earned him a staggering $19.3 million within just 24 hours: that’s 284,357 orders.
It proves once again that it’s the way you deliver a message that makes you stand out today.
Because YE doesn’t say anything groundbreaking: it’s the way he does it.
That’s why I’m convinced that:
How you say it > What you say.
Love him or hate him: one thing’s undeniable:
He knows how to command attention.
And he keeps doing it, time after time.
2025
Here he is again: YE! 🤣
In 2025, Kanye West once again pulls a trick from his endless playbook.
According to Variety, he bought several local Super Bowl ad slots, worth a few hundred thousand dollars. Probably a conscious move: these are less tightly regulated than the national ones.
And then comes the twist: right as his ad goes live, he switches his website from a regular clothing store to a single T-shirt featuring a swastika. Shortly after, Shopify takes down his webshop for violating their terms of service.
Once again, YE manages to strike a nerve with a simple, seemingly unscripted video in a way that can be seen as provocative or powerful, depending on where you stand.
But one thing’s for sure: it didn’t go unnoticed.
Conclusion
It shows that people today value authenticity more than those polished, high-end commercials we’ve grown used to seeing during the Super Bowl.
If you really want your message to stick, it often pays off to show your raw, unfiltered self. That clearly resonated with the audience and who knows, maybe it will even set the tone for future Super Bowl ads.
Just to be clear: I completely distance myself from the message Kanye West is trying to convey.
My analysis is purely about how he presents himself and the effect that has. That’s what fascinates me.
What’s your take on the Kanye West (Ye) phenomenon?
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