It’s Super Bowl Sunday. It’s that one day out of the year where we sit and eat junk food without regrets and spectate the great sport of football. Though most people will be watching today for the matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs, I will be watching for the iconic ads that major brands and companies will be running during commercial breaks.
Super Bowl ad spots are not cheap by any means. For this year’s Super Bowl, a 30-second commercial can cost upwards of $5.5 million. Though this may not be a lot of money to major companies, a few notable brands have decided to not run ads this year. AnHeuser-Busch, the brewing company that owns Budweiser, has decided to scrap a Budweiser ad this year. AnHeuser-Busch is using the money that would’ve been spent on a pricy ad to raise awareness for coronavirus vaccinations.
Since 1983, Budweiser has had commercials during every Super Bowl. Since we’ll miss out on a commercial from the “king of beers,” here’s my ranking of the five best Budweiser Super Bowl ads.
5. “Fence” 2010
Budweiser does a great job of tugging on your heartstrings during the Super Bowl by using adorable animals in its ads. In this 2010 ad spot, a young Clydesdale and a longhorn become friends. They play together but their pastures are separated by a white picket fence. As they grow up, the longhorn grows a large set of horns, and the Clydesdale pulls carriages for Budweiser. When the two see each other again, the longhorn rams through the old fence, and the pair are finally united.
In this ad, a man and his dog are seen playing and having a great time. A narrator talks about Fred and says he is full of energy and loves to play, but he works up a thirst when doing so. You’d think this unknown voice is the man talking about the dog, but it turns out Fred is the owner. The dog says that he helps Fred satisfy his thirst with Budweiser.
This commercial is a tribute to the events that unfolded on September 11, 2001. This ad only aired one time during Super Bowl 2002. In this commercial the iconic are galloping through America on a mission to get to New York City. Once the group of horses make it to the city where the skyline is in view, the Clydesdales all bow to pay their respects.
2. “Lost Dog” 2015
How can you make a Super Bowl ad cute? Add a lab puppy and a few Clydesdales. In this ad from 2015, a puppy is found in a stable full of Clydesdales. When the puppy escapes the stables one night and is cornered by a menacing wolf, the Clydesdales run to the rescue. After scaring off the predator, the puppy leads the pack of horses back to the stables where the ranch hand is surprised to see them.
Count on a Budweiser Super Bowl ad to make me all teary-eyed. In this commercial, we see a man and a Clydesdale bond over the years. Eventually, the Clydesdale becomes a Budweiser Clydesdale, and the man is left with the memories of his old horse. When the Budweiser Clydesdales come to town, the man decides to go in the hopes of seeing his horse. When the carriage passes by in the parade, he is a little sad to see that his horse doesn’t recognize him. As he gets ready to drive away, he sees his Clydesdale running in the rearview mirror. The two are reunited for a sweet moment of brotherhood.
