The Budweiser Clydesdales
The Budweiser Clydesdales have been a staple in American society
dating back to the end of the prohibition in 1933. “The horses were hitched
to wagons and sent to New York, where they delivered a case of Budweiser
to former Governor Alfred Smith, who had been instrumental in fighting
prohibition. They proceeded on a tour witnessed by thousands and
delivered another crate of beer to President Roosevelt” (Campbell, 2020).
This led to the birth of a long-standing Budweiser advertising campaign,
that has become an iconic brand recognized in households across America.
Beginning in 1986, the Budweiser Clydesdale commercials have become a classic Super Bowl tradition. The advertisements generally feature a short, hart-warming story and always showcase the majestic Clydesdale horses, the iconic red wagon, the wagon drivers dressed in their green suits, and the Dalmatian dog riding along. Depending on the year and the story Budweiser is telling, there is sometimes a bit of dialogue or text to add a bit of humor or further drive the story. Other times, Budweiser simply lets its video imagery do the talking.
Perhaps the most iconic Budweiser Super Bowl commercials came in 2002, following the September 11th terrorist attacks on the United States. The commercial, titled “Respect”, was only aired once during the game and showed the horses crossing the Brooklyn Bridge before bowing their heads and kneeling, with the Statue of Liberty and New York City skyline in the background. There was no dialogue or text throughout the advertisement, only a solemn piece of music and the sound of the horses’ hooves and harnesses. With Budweiser being a very well known and loved American brand, this was a great way to show respect to the victims and first responders, as well as uniting the rest of the country in solidarity and remembrance. In this example, the simplicity of the advertisement spoke volumes. With such a serious subject, adding too much extra could have diluted the powerful message. Furthermore, since Budweiser is so well known across the country, they didn’t need to add anything to notify viewers that it was a Budweiser commercial. A lesser-known brand might not have been able to pull off something as successful as this commercial, simply because they would have to incorporate their logo or company name prominently throughout the advertisement, so that they would gain exposure and hopefully profit as a result. In the case of Budweiser, people see a set of eight Clydesdale horses pulling a red wagon and immediately know the brand by name. People are able to watch and appreciate the story the advertisement is telling and know exactly what brand it is without having to see a blatant logo during every scene. The success of this advertisement leaves it sticking around in people’s minds, even after almost 20 years.
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In a more recent example, The Budweiser “Puppy Love” commercial from the 2014 Super Bowl is also a fan favorite. This advertisement starts off at a puppy adoption, where one of the puppies keeps escaping the pen and escaping to the barn to see the Clydesdale horses next door. After the puppy ends up being adopted, the Clydesdales stop its new owner from driving away and return home with their friend. The end of the advertisement shows the puppy and the horse in the pasture as well as the kennel owner and horse keeper chatting along the fence. Budweiser created yet another heartwarming story that stood out from many of the other commercials, with people voting it the most popular advertisement to ever air during the Super Bowl (Henry, 2016). Beyond just the friendship between a puppy and some horses, it also hints at a budding relationship between the kennel owner and the horse keeper. The deeper story behind the advertisement along with the very cute puppy and iconic horses really resonated with viewers. People like feel-good stories and this advertisement appeals to that emotion. Similar to the “Respect” commercial from 2002, Budweiser didn’t need to show off their logo and name in a flashy way. People know what brand the Clydesdales represent and there isn’t a need to remind viewers throughout the ad. In typical Budweiser form, the scenery also draws in viewers. They always feature picturesque mountains or farms as the backdrop for their story. Furthermore, featuring blue collar workers like farmers connects to the foundation of American society (Henry, 2016). All of the Budweiser advertisements are classic and timely and have been a long-lasting success for the company.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4TEkzbGmYQ
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Campbell, K. (2020, January 6). Why does Budweiser Use Clydesdales in their ads? A quick history. BigCommerce. Retrieved October 26, 2021, from https://www.bigcommerce.com/blog/budweiser-clydesdales-history/#undefined.
Henry, Z. (2016, January 15). 3 reasons why Budweiser's 'Puppy love' is the all-time most popular Super Bowl AD. Inc.com. Retrieved October 26, 2021, from https://www.inc.com/zoe-henry/three-reasons-budweiser-puppy-love-commercial-most-popular-in-50-years.html.
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