If you attended any of Grammy award-winning reggaeton artist Bad Bunny’s concerts in Puerto Rico, you may have noticed fans lining up in droves, desperate to get their hands on a “Bad Johnnie” cocktail cup.

The “Johnnie,” of course, refers to whiskey giant Johnnie Walker, and the cup is the latest in a line of items that have turned from promo products into collector’s items, a la Pittsburgh Steelers’ “Terrible Towel,” for example, or the more recent Starbucks “Bearista” cup.

The viral “Bad Johnnie” cup, from Hitex Marketing Group (asi/515762)

The Bad Johnnie cup – created in collaboration with Miami, FL-based Hitex Marketing Group (asi/515762) – had a similar influence on the island of Puerto Rico, where Bad Bunny recently concluded his 31-concert residency, No me quiero ir de aqui.

The massive series added an estimated $200 million to Puerto Rico’s economy. Now, as Bad Bunny gets ready to take the stage for the Super Bowl halftime show, viewers can celebrate his heritage with their own Bad Johnnie cup and a beverage of their choice.

A Quick Turnaround

Hitex Marketing Group had been working with Johnnie Walker – and its parent company, Diageo – for roughly 20 years.

Then, last summer, the beverage company called up Hitex with a promo opportunity: The Johnnie Walker team had been invited to participate in a series of Bad Bunny concerts, and wanted to launch a signature coconut drink and matching commemorative cup that gave people a taste of Puerto Rico. But it needed to be delivered and executed quickly – within 35 days, to be exact.

“Everything happened overnight,” says Enrique Perez, president and founder of Hitex Marketing Group. “We had a firm idea within 24 hours, and within 48 hours it was a done deal.” He adds that AI was especially helpful during that ideation process.

“AI allows us to get the first half of any project done quicker, and gave us a real opportunity to win,” he says, “but more importantly, it gives our artists more time to be creative.”

Meeting a Cultural Moment

Beyond speed, Johnnie Walker needed a partner that understood the relevance and cultural significance of the project. According to Perez, the Bad Johnnie cup was more than just a tangible item – it is a cultural experience.

“When you think about Bad Bunny and the philosophy – the heritage – of Puerto Rico, and the cultural significance of sitting around and drinking whiskey, [Bad Johnnie] becomes so much more than a cup,” he says.

Perez and his team produced everything in-house, a decision he says helped them deliver the product on time. They also had to size the cup strategically to fit within Johnnie Walker’s “drink responsibly” philosophy so the cups did not exceed 10 ounces. Hitex engaged bartenders at exclusive bars across Puerto Rico to serve the signature cocktail in the Bad Johnnie cup.

“These bartenders were instruments for the campaign, making it a true Puerto Rican experience,” Perez says. “People would go to their bars knowing they could find the Bad Johnnie cup there.”

Now, as the countdown to Super Bowl Sunday begins, Perez is already looking ahead to his next big project: promo for the World Cup. And the Hitex team is applying lessons from Bad Johnnie to their future promo endeavors.

“This project showed us what we’re capable of doing quickly, and the power of thoughtful execution and cultural concepts that resonate,” Perez says. “Hopefully we can do more projects like this in the future.”