Rihanna’s pregnancy reveal is a masterclass in subtle marketing

In a rebellious move against the glossy photoshoot style that other celebrities adopt, the singer ‘broke the internet’ with her casual reveal, writes Ellie Fry

Rihanna revealed her pregnancy to the world alongside her partner, rapper, A$AP Rocky (Getty)

The phrase “broke the internet” is an overused idiom that gets thrown around during major moments online, but Rihanna’s pregnancy announcement truly fitted the bill this week.

In a rebellious move against the glossy photoshoot style that other celebrities adopt, the Bajan singer-turned-beauty tycoon revealed her news in the most Rihanna way possible: walking the streets of Harlem wearing a hot pink vintage Chanel puffer coat draped over her bare baby bump, adorned with beaded body jewellery. It was a move that somehow felt understated and maximalist all at once.

Reposts of the “impromptu” pap shots flooded Instagram as news sites, magazines and fast fashion brands cashed in on sharing the photos on their feeds. Pop culture obsessives championed the superstar for her effortlessly chic announcement that seemed far more organic than those by Cardi B, Kirsten Dunst and Beyonce, who plumped for fashion shoots that resembled high art instead.

The casual reveal may seem against the grain – but on closer inspection, Rihanna’s timing is a masterclass in subtle marketing. Fenty Beauty, the star’s make-up brand, announced a major product launch this week, just one day after Rihanna’s pregnancy debut.

I was covering the launch on The Independent’s product review section, IndyBest, when I noticed that the embargo had been lifted earlier than planned, in a move that seemed designed to capitalise on the media frenzy surrounding its founder. In a world where social media traction translates to currency, who can blame them?

While the singer regularly fronts campaigns for the brand’s products, this one felt more personal. The shape of the lipstick is inspired by Rihanna’s defined “cupid’s bow” (lip shape) and she reportedly curated every shade herself, spending just under a year perfecting her favourite colour in the collection. The new lipstick range is called “icon”, a telling namesake for a product founded by someone who has the whole world on tenterhooks with every Instagram post.

There’s no doubt Rihanna’s superstar status trumped the need for a flashy pregnancy reveal – just like her habit for sartorial rule-breaking, the star has refused to conform. It was as rock’n’roll as a popstar announcement could get – but as ever with celebrity announcements, there’s more to it than meets the eye.

Yours,

Ellie Fry

IndyBest deputy editor