Puerto Rico es otra cosa! The Bunny opportunity
On the night of Sept. 21, the world was left in awe by the spectacle delivered by internationally acclaimed Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny.
The marketing strategy was striking. After completing a 30-show residency at the Choliseo, he added one final performance and streamed it on Amazon, which confirmed it broke audience records. Expectations are sky-high in Mexico, Spain, Portugal and every country included in the world tour.
What is clear, however, is that many fans in the United States will be left disappointed, as Bad Bunny chose not to tour there in response to the prevailing anti-immigrant and anti-Hispanic climate.
What many Puerto Ricans appreciate most is that Bad Bunny has given the world a window into the island. This sparked an unprecedented surge in tourism. Reservations to visit Puerto Rico reached record highs. But these are not normal circumstances — and Puerto Rico, indeed, is something else. But now that the residency is over, what’s next?
Ideally, we need to sustain the momentum and leverage it for opportunities in international trade. But in reality, it is something else. The specter of the Trump administration’s protectionist policies and restrictions on foreign visitors could definitely hurt the island. We may have no way to avoid them.
Puerto Rico needs the economic boost from international tourism, the influx of construction workers through H-2B visas and in-demand skills via H-1B visas, which are now very expensive. Yet, when combined with the unilateral inflationary tariffs imposed by President Trump, the immediate future remains uncertain and unstable.
This “Bunny opportunity” challenges us to creatively overcome the obstacles that are inherent in our “current” relationship with the United States. Now is the time for Puerto Rican entrepreneurs and businesses to look beyond U.S. borders and engage confidently with the world.
The growth and recovery of Puerto Rico depends on seizing the door opened by Bad Bunny. This is a unique opportunity to usher in a new era of global positioning, strengthening the ability to adapt, negotiate and act with strategic independence.
Although expectations around reshoring are high to revive the island’s manufacturing powerhouse, research cautions that simply bringing back manufacturing is not a panacea. Manufacturing may still have diminishing returns in a globalized, automated landscape. The specter of artificial intelligence will change productivity paradigms, and I believe that we are not prepared for that in Puerto Rico. And don’t forget the energy enigma.
Furthermore, in the current context of a strategic rivalry between the United States and China, where geopolitical alliances are increasingly volatile and power blocs are constantly being redefined, a passive stance in international business is not a viable option. Given this scenario, maybe the grand strategy for Puerto Rico is to aggressively enter the international trade realm.
Bad Bunny’s global success has opened a “bunny door” that Puerto Rico must use to diversify its markets, reinforce its identity and export both goods and services. Now is the moment to act with strategic independence and not rely solely on the U.S. market or its resources.
Here are some things that can be explored:
- Have Invest Puerto Rico and Discover Puerto Rico follow the DTMF world tour, hosting business networking events in each city. Both entities can agree with Benito’s management and have him present. In key locations, have important Puerto Rican business owners (for example Orlando Bravo) present.
- Select one city to have a major business event or conference that coincides with one of the tour stops. Take advantage of the excitement.
With the actions of the current dwellers of the White House, we cannot put all of our carrots in the U.S. basket. This is not “rocket science,” nor do I claim to be a scholar. It is simply common sense. Still, I know these ideas may provoke strong reactions.
I may not be a fan of his music. But thanks to Bad Bunny, Puerto Rico is now in fashion across the globe. Let’s seize the moment!
Jeffrey Quiñones-Díaz is a partner at The Consulting Lead LLC and a public affairs and policy consultant.
I fully appreciate and agree with Jeffrey’s insightful proposals urging those responsible for economic growth and tourism strategies to take decisive action. His article lays an important foundation by highlighting the unique opportunity Bad Bunny’s success presents for Puerto Rico.
Building on Jeffrey’s perspective, I believe there is additional value in learning from Bad Bunny’s marketing team and their strategies to create a framework that extends beyond his brand. While Bad Bunny sparked global attention, my goal is to help build an enduring economic and cultural momentum that will last long after this initial spark.
Overall, Jeffrey’s article was an excellent and thought-provoking read that captures the essence of this pivotal moment for Puerto Rico.