We all expected the Super Bowl to get political, but to everyone’s surprise it wasn’t Lady Gaga. For years Budweiser has featured the Budweiser Clydesdales in their Super Bowl commercials that bring tears to the eyes of even the toughest football fans. However, this year the presence of the iconic horses were lacking during the Super Bowl commercial break.
The Budweiser Clydesdales were first introduced as the company mascots in 1933. These majestic horses are meant not only as a symbol of the “all-American” brew, but also as “the living embodiment of America’s great industrial spirit.” Capable of pulling a 1 ton load at 5 mph, Clydesdales are known for their strength, and have represented the hard-working nature of the American people for decades (Budweiser). Although, only two of them made a brief cameo for not even a half a second in this year’s Super Bowl commercial, the message of “America’s great industrial spirit” was more present than ever before.
The commercial was a one-minute reenactment of the dawn of Budweiser. Showing the struggle, ridicule, and backlash a young, German immigrant named Adolphus Busch received upon immigrating to America. Busch was greeted with insults and hate. Told to go back home and that we wasn’t wanted here, Busch pressed on in the face of hardship. The commercial ends with a man by the name of Eberhard Anheuser buying Busch a beer at a bar and Busch, grateful for the hospitality, laying out his vision for a new beer: Budweiser. The screen then cuts to a final slogan that reads: “When nothing stops your dream. This is the beer we drink.”
That’s right, for those of you who didn’t know, one of the co-founders of the multi-billion dollar beer company we have come to know and love was a German immigrant with a dream of brewing beer, and Budweiser wanted to remind everyone of this fact. Given the current political climate, this reminder was a big deal.
Budweiser is considered “America’s beer.” In fact, earlier in 2016 the company had a brief campaign where their cans brandished the name “America” in place of “Budweiser,” just to remind everyone that when you crack open a cold can of Budweiser, you’re crackin’ open a cold can of America. Budweiser has always marketed its allegiance to America, and they aren’t stopping now.
This commercial serves as a reminder that immigration is at the core of American culture. That the majority of us come from a history of immigration, from someone that risked everything to achieve a dream despite the odds. It was the strength, the bravery, and the perseverance of those who came before us that inspired Budweiser to adopt the Clydesdale as its mascot.
Watch the full commercial here.
Picture Credits:
Clydesdales – Wilsbach