With the flash of an enormous green diamond ring, we learnt that Ben Affleck has proposed to Jennifer Lopez again – 20 years after their first engagement. It could be the plot of one of J-Lo’s romcoms: the couple who split under pressure from the outside world (early noughties paparazzi attention) only to fall back in love two decades later. No wonder fans are fascinated.
It’s savvy, then, for them to turn the insane attention on their relationship to their advantage, as Bennifer becomes not just a couple, but a brand. J-Lo trailed their engagement as she might trail a new album, with an enigmatic video on Instagram: ‘So, I have a really exciting and special story to share,’ she began, before explaining that it would only be revealed to her ‘inner circle’ – her newsletter subscribers at onthejlo.com. Later, she dropped pictures of herself in the bath - which is where Ben popped the question.
The newsletter is where Jennifer shares personal tidbits, like the Valentine’s gift she got from Ben (a romantic remix of one of her music videos). It’s free, but is probably there to drum up interest in her more lucrative projects – concerts, movies, TV appearances, the JLo Beauty line, and her high-profile campaigns for brands like Dolce & Gabbana and Coach.
In recent years, power couples from Meghan and Harry to Justin and Hailey have used their relationships to promote their careers, with the ultimate example being Kim and Kanye. Yet when J-Lo and Ben first attempted to pull off this trick, it backfired.
In 2002, he co-starred in her music video for Jenny from the Block. To promote their movie Gigli (where they met), they also did a Dateline interview about their relationship. Ben later said the publicity had been destructive to his career, that they’d done the interview to please the people who’d financed the movie, and that he wished he hadn’t. ‘At a certain point I think you have to strike a balance between what you owe people who finance your work and the degree to which you can protect the integrity of your personal life,’ he said.
When it comes to boosting his own projects, perhaps he feels differently. ‘Ben is slowly getting his and Matt Damon's company ready for one of these $500 million-plus mega-deals, like Reese Witherspoon got when she sold her company Hello Sunshine,’ says a source who has been in business with the actor for almost a decade. ‘He plans to throw himself into directing and producing, and he's in expansion mode, hoping to attract Wall Street money in the process.’
Ben’s business-minded fiancée is keen to help him succeed, adds the source: ‘While he and Jennifer are very superstitious about working together again, there's no question she's encouraging him to think big about this stuff.’
In the meantime, all eyes will be on their wedding. It seems they’ve already spoken to a planner, and want over 500 guests. They’re considering the $50 million Bel Air mansion they bought together in March as a venue: ‘They have this huge property now with so much privacy, it makes a lot of sense to have the wedding there,’ says the source. After an epic love story, it could be the happiest day of their lives – and it might just benefit Brand Bennifer, too.
READ MORE: As Bennifer Gets Engaged For The Second Time, Take A Look At Jennifer Lopez's Engagement Rings