Backstreet Boys Use Viral Cincinnati Video to Promote Super Bowl Ad

The '90s pop group shared a viral video of a Cincinnati man singing their hit song to promote their new T-Mobile Super Bowl commercial.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

The Backstreet Boys, the popular '90s boy band, used a viral video from downtown Cincinnati to promote one of their new Super Bowl commercials. In the original video, a Cincinnati man unexpectedly starts singing the Backstreet Boys' hit song "I Want It That Way" when asked about his plans to watch the Super Bowl halftime show. The Backstreet Boys then shared the video on their social media accounts, meshing it with clips from their upcoming T-Mobile Super Bowl ad.

Why it matters

The Backstreet Boys' use of the viral Cincinnati video to promote their Super Bowl ad highlights the power of social media and fan engagement. By tapping into a grassroots moment that resonated with their fanbase, the group was able to generate significant buzz and attention for their commercial ahead of the big game.

The details

In the original video, Enquirer trending news editor David Wysong interviews a man in downtown Cincinnati as part of a man-on-the-street video series. When Wysong asks the man which Super Bowl halftime show he plans to watch, the man surprisingly responds "the Backstreet Boys" and then proceeds to sing the group's hit song "I Want It That Way." The video went viral on The Enquirer's Instagram page, with over 312,000 views and users tagging the Backstreet Boys and hoping the group would see it. The Backstreet Boys then shared the video on their own social media accounts, meshing it with clips from their upcoming T-Mobile Super Bowl commercial.

  • The original Cincinnati video was filmed and published on February 7, 2026.
  • The Backstreet Boys shared the video on their social media accounts on February 7, 2026, ahead of the premiere of their new T-Mobile Super Bowl ad.

The players

Backstreet Boys

A popular '90s boy band known for hits like "I Want It That Way" and "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)".

David Wysong

A trending news editor at The Cincinnati Enquirer who filmed the original viral video of a Cincinnati man singing a Backstreet Boys song.

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What they’re saying

“@NFL next year, maybe”

— Backstreet Boys (Instagram)

What’s next

The Backstreet Boys' viral video promotion has generated significant buzz, leading to speculation that the group could potentially perform at a future Super Bowl halftime show.

The takeaway

The Backstreet Boys' savvy use of a grassroots viral video to promote their Super Bowl commercial demonstrates the power of fan engagement and the ability to capitalize on unexpected cultural moments. This strategy allowed the group to generate significant attention and excitement around their ad ahead of the big game.