How T-Mobile Connected With Bad Bunny Fans Via Viral Charms & NFC Tech

Bad Bunny performs onstage for “No Me Quiero Ir De Aqui” Residencia En El Choli at Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

T-Mobile Puerto Rico, one of the Bad Bunny tour sponsor partners, created a unique VIP experience for its customers attending the artist’s “No Me Quiero Ir de Aqui” residency in the island’s capital San Juan.

The telecommunications company’s clients were given access to Club Magenta , an exclusive lounge on the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum venue’s terrace which featured a Charm Bar activation curated by Puerto Rican accessories brand Edalou Paris.

Guests could personalize their own collectible bag charm, choosing from a selection of objects connected to Puerto Rican culture and identity including moka pots, avocados and the national flower, the Flor de Maga, alongside a co-branded Near Field Communication (NFC) chipped fob turning the physical keepsake into a digital gateway.

When tapped to a smartphone it connected fans directly to T-Mobile Puerto Rico’s Instagram account.

“T-Mobile honors Puerto Rico’s unique culture, and the Charm Bar at the Club Magenta pop-up fused technology with cultural relevance and authenticity to deliver an unforgettable experience that celebrated Puerto Rican identity,” Lyanette Dávila, Marketing Director, T-Mobile Puerto Rico told me.

“This experience was designed to make every fan feel part of something special. Seeing our customers create their bag charms, engage with our brand, and share their experiences, was a powerful validation of how technology can amplify culture, celebrate Puerto Rican identity, and strengthen loyalty.”

“It’s a proud moment to connect my brand from Paris back to Puerto Rico, merging tradition and technology for an audience that loves both,” added Edalou Paris founder, Paris based Puerto Rican designer Eda Aguilar.

“T-Mobile’s openness to creating NFC charms proved how culture and tech can connect people in simple, powerful ways.”

Bad Bunny & T-Mobile: Merch that matters

Indeed, tech is often most effective when you keep it simple.

Aguilar, a former banker who now works across fashion and technology, described how the phygital innovation tied brand loyalty to cultural pride via “frictionless digital engagement,” boosting impressions and followers, and building digital community.

The charms worked as “both fashion accessories and digital bridges,” she said, merging style with interactivity. She plans to evolve the model,” she added, noting its potential to unlock discounts, playlists, AR filters, and other NFC gated perks.

The charm idea also plays into the Labubu effect which has galvanized the trend for collectible bag charms. Most recent direct interpretation is Labubu creator Kasing Lung’s collaboration with LVMH’s luxury bag brand Moynat but bigger picture, luxury’s charm offensive extends from Glossier to Balenciaga—both of which transformed recent product launches into key-chain charm versions.

Bad Bunny & T-Mobile: G-local cultural initiatives

Whether global or g-local, for brands, the value of association with culture, cultural phenomena and entertainment is immense.

“To connect the past with the future you have to be there where culture is made,” Moët & Chandon CEO Sibylle Scherer told me recently, speaking to her house’s Formula 1 partnership. “You need to be culturally relevant.”

While Moët is tapping into sport, the Hermès take, Hermèstories, playing out in Milan this month, involves an hour-long theatrical imagining of the maison’s history taking place at the city’s Teatro Franco Parenti and directed by Pauline Bayle.

Bad Bunny’s 30-date residency in Puerto Rico has generated an estimated $200 million revenue for the island’s economy while also spotlighting its wider culture and traditions.

Bad Bunny, real name Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, favored local labels like Yayi Perez for both his own stage looks and those of his collaborators. For the Met Gala earlier this year he wore a headpiece recalling straw pava hats traditional to the island’s countryside and a diamond brooch shaped like its national flower.

The first nine Bad Bunny tour dates were reserved for Puerto Rican residents with a surprise finale on September 20 to be live-streamed globally on Amazon and Twitch.