The Miss USA pageant is putting greater focus on the business value of its winner, with “commercial appeal” introduced as a new judging category this year.
At the same time, Miss Virginia Justus Kelley made history by winning the 75th Miss USA title on Thursday in Miami.
Kelley, 31, became the first married woman, mother and woman in her 30s to win the title.
She was crowned at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts and will represent the United States at the Miss Universe pageant in Puerto Rico in November.
What does “commercial appeal” mean?
The new category looks at how well contestants could connect with brands and attract sponsorship opportunities.
Miss USA host Ian Ziering said the winner should not only look good wearing the crown but also make brands want to work with her.
Co-host and Miss USA 1993 Kenya Moore said the category looks at a contestant’s ability to connect with cameras, major brands and beauty campaigns.
Judges assessed contestants using a portfolio of non-pageant photographs.
The change gives the title a clearer business dimension. The winner can now be viewed not only as a pageant representative but also as a potential partner for brands and advertisers.
A history-making winner
Kelley brings a different profile to the Miss USA crown.
She is married, a mother and a foster parent of two children. She also founded a nonprofit organisation and has written children’s books.
The pageant began allowing married women and mothers to compete in 2023. In 2024, it also removed the previous age limit of 28 and allowed all women aged 18 and above to compete.
Kelley said her win showed that women do not have to choose between their careers, families and ambitions.
She also brought a different approach to fashion.
Kelley wore secondhand clothing during the competition. She recalled buying one of her suits from Goodwill for $9.99.
She said the experience showed that contestants do not need to spend huge amounts of money to appear on a national pageant stage.
The pageant looks for a new business model
The 75th Miss USA competition comes after several difficult years for the organisation.
The pageant has had three different leaders since 2020 amid allegations of rigging, lawsuits and titleholders giving up their crowns.
This year’s broadcast also changed at the last minute after The CW dropped the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA finals from its schedule.
The finals instead streamed through the Queen Beauty Network, which also carried the 2025 event.
The addition of commercial appeal points to another change in how the organisation wants to position the competition.
For the winner, the crown now comes with more than public attention. It can also create opportunities to work with brands, build a personal profile and attract commercial partnerships.
Kelley’s first year as Miss USA will show how the organisation turns that new focus into real opportunities for its winner.
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Last modified: August 29, 2026
