Ulta Beauty isn’t a Super Bowl advertiser, but it’s definitely an advertiser in the Super Bowl.
The beauty retailer had its Big Game moment when Cardi B made a surprise cameo during Bad Bunny’s halftime show, wearing a look supplied by Ulta that includes a combination of products from Rare Beauty, Milk Makeup, Morphe, Mac, Drmtlgy, Nars, Made by Mitchell, Natasha Denona, and Cocokind.
For some fans it wasn’t a huge surprise. Cardi B’s appearance was heavily rumored in the days before the performance, and Ulta seized the opportunity to align with her.
Following the playbook it used in 2025, when SZA showed up alongside Kendrick Lamar, Ulta partnered with Cardi for a Get Ready With Me pre-show video on her Instagram.
“Our partnership with SZA last year reinforced something really important: audiences don’t just want to see talent—they want access to the process,” Ulta CMO Kelly Mahoney told ADWEEK.
She noted that the debut Super Bowl activation last year was Ulta’s most successful social and influencer campaign to that point, with 269 million impressions.
So this year, Ultra reloaded with Cardi B, and went even bigger, Mahoney said, “by building a true surround-sound presence.” Ulta’s souped-up 2026 activation kicked off a week before the Super Bowl with three shoppable makeup looks, then moved IRL the day before at TikTok Clubhouse with a beauty-and-wellness hub.
And the activation culminated with Cardi B’s halftime integration. Because of its bigger scope, Ulta’s goal this year is slightly different from last year’s, Mahoney said: “It’s less about a single reveal and more about reinforcing Ulta Beauty as the authority that helps icons—and everyday fans—feel ready for moments that matter.”
It wasn’t always a lock that Cardi B would show up at halftime, and there was a possibility that Ulta would miss its moment during the Super Bowl broadcast.
Certainly the musician’s appearance was a brief cameo, unlike SZA who performed last year. By contrast, Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin, this year, showcased their singing talents onstage.
But Mahoney knew these risks are part of any big marketing swings.
“Any partnership tied to live cultural moments requires thoughtful planning,” she said. “Our Super Bowl strategy isn’t dependent on a single moment.”
Big Game halftime brand integrations stunts took off after Rihanna promoted her Fenty Beauty brand on stage during her Super Bowl 57 performance. According to brand performance company Launchmetrics, that stunt helped garner $5.6 million in earned media in the first 12 hours for Fenty Beauty, and $2.6 million for clothing business Savage x Fenty.
