The good news about a Super Bowl is that even when the game doesn’t deliver, fans have the commercials and the halftime show to fall back on. Super Bowl LIX certainly didn’t meet entertainment expectations, leading to heightened interest in the commercials and Kendrick Lamar’s halftime performance. However, viewers in some markets were left confused late in the game when rapper Kanye West appeared in a vertical video advertisement for his Yeezy apparel brand.
Kanye West Super Bowl 59 commercial (2025) pic.twitter.com/nTyeS9Ozhg
— curating our culture (@curatingourcult) February 10, 2025
“So what’s up guys,” West began, appearing to be laying down in a dentist’s chair. “I spent like all the money for the commercial on these new teeth, so once again I had to shoot it on the iPhone. Uhh…umm…umm…go to Yeezy.com.” The spot follows a very similar commercial that West aired during last year’s Super Bowl.
YEEZY COMMERCIAL #SuperBowl : pic.twitter.com/wVPtMTGNom
— YEFANATICS (@yefanatics) February 12, 2024
According to a report in The Hollywood Reporter, the commercial did not air nationally but was seen in specific local markets. It was later aired on Fox again approximately two hours after the game ended, sparking questions about the decision to broadcast it, regardless of whether it was Fox Corp. or local affiliates behind it.
Meanwhile, West has spent much of the week posting antisemitic rhetoric on social media, including praise for Adolf Hitler and identifying as a Nazi. As of Monday morning, visitors to West’s apparel website found only a single t-shirt available for purchase: a white t-shirt featuring a black swastika.
Fox allowed Kanye West to buy a Super Bowl ad pointing to his Yeezy website where he’s selling swastika branded t-shirts, because of course we’re in the new Nazi normal.
— Jeff Yang (@originalsp.in) February 10, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Last week, West aired a Yeezy advertisement during the Grammys promoting actual apparel, which did not feature him directly. There seems to be no justification for platforming someone like West during television’s biggest event, especially considering Fox’s past with him. In October 2022, Fox News’ Tucker Carlson (who has since been fired) interviewed West, only for it to be revealed days later that Fox had cut portions of the interview where West made antisemitic comments.
This incident did not deter Fox from selling ad space to West, as they continued to utilize his music during NFL broadcasts even post-Carlson interview. Ironically, Fox also aired two advertisements from the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism during Sunday’s game, highlighting a stark contrast in their approach. While free speech is an important principle, a clear line is crossed given West’s inflammatory rhetoric over the years. Allowing him to purchase ad space during the Super Bowl only helps legitimize his illegitimate beliefs.
Ultimately, the responsibility lies with Fox to prevent such content from making it to the air.
