Hold your horses.
Budweiser is hoping to recapture hearts and minds once again with its iconic Clydesdales in a nostalgic, heartwarming Super Bowl ad aimed at rebuilding its sagging brand and market share following its disastrous Bud Light marketing campaign with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
The new USD$21 million commercial, titled First Delivery, brings back the Budweiser foal in a tale of determination and perseverance, continuing a tradition that has defined the brand’s Super Bowl legacy for nearly four decades.
The commercial, directed by Henry Alex Rubin and created by FCB New York, tells the story of a young foal left behind as the rest of the horses hitched to the iconic beer wagon set out to deliver Budweiser beer.
But when a keg falls off the rig, the foal leaps over a fence to push the keg along, determined to make its first delivery. Set to the 1976 Bellamy Brothers track Let Your Love Flow, the company says the ad highlights core values of resilience and dedication, which Budweiser says reflect its history since 1876.
“Budweiser’s Super Bowl legacy is an important part of our brand history,” Kristina Punwani, Budweiser USA’s head of marketing, said in a statement. “With the help of our beloved Clydesdales and a determined foal, this year’s commercial captures our commitment to delivering for consumers and toasts to those who work hard to achieve their goals, despite obstacles.”
An early preview of the commercial has already received nearly half a million hits on YouTube in its first day of release.
The ad is Budweiser’s 47th Super Bowl commercial featuring the Clydesdales, a tradition dating back to 1986.
Highlights over the years include the 1996 ad that saw Clydesdales playing football in a snow-covered mountain meadow, which required months of training near Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in the days before computer-generated imagery.
This year’s ad comes as part of Anheuser-Busch’s $21-million “investment” in Super Bowl LIX. The company secured three minutes of national ad time and 45 seconds of regional time in what is widely considered the most expensive advertising platform in the world, underscoring its status as the largest Super Bowl advertiser in the beer, alcohol, and consumer packaged goods sectors.
That compares to just over $37,000 for Super Bowl I in 1967, which received an audience of 65 million viewers. The 2024 edition of the Super Bowl, which saw the Kansas City Chiefs emerge victorious against the San Francisco 49ers, was watched by more than 123 million viewers in the US alone, making it not only the most-watched Super Bowl in history but also the most popular TV program of all time.
Alongside its flagship Budweiser return, Anheuser-Busch will air ads for other brands, including Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, Busch Light, and Stella Artois.
This year’s game airs on February 9, featuring the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles.
