The Budweiser Clydesdales made an appearance at Sam’s Club on U.S. 301 in Riverview last week and later at the Circle K on S.R. 674 in Ruskin. Del Mecum Photography / www.DelMecum.com
By LISA STARK
Photojournalist
The “Majestic Clydesdales,” the most beloved TV commercial stars (of the horse variety), made a public appearance in Ruskin on Jan. 29 at the Circle K Mart on College Avenue. The Budweiser Clydesdales drew delighted crowds of spectators who lined up on both sides of the street to get a view of the magnificent horse team, despite the fact that the event was barely publicized.
Loved by young and old, the Clydesdales are best known for starring in Budweiser commercials on Super Bowl Sunday. This year was no exception. Super Bowl XLIX, pitting the victorious New England Patriots against the Seattle Seahawks, was held at the University of Phoenix Stadium Sunday, Feb. 1, and was seen by an estimated 114 million viewers.
The Super Bowl stakes were high, not just for the teams but also for advertisers. A 30-second commercial cost advertisers $4.5 million, up half a million dollars from last year. The entertainment was filled with global superstars, including Katy Perry, Idina Menzel, Missy Elliot and John Legend. For many, it was soothing to watch the calm, dignified Clydesdales standing in the middle of all the commercialized hoopla, which this year was rendered even more insane by two weeks of accusations and discussions about “deflated footballs.”
It’s estimated that Budweiser spent $20 million on Super Bowl ads this year, two of them featuring the Clydesdale horses. This year’s Super Bowl commercial was a sequel to last year’s, entitled “Puppy Love.” The 30-second spot featured a feisty little puppy smitten by a friendly Clydesdale horse. The puppy becomes separated from his owner and horse friend, then journeys through rain, fields and forests trying to reunite with them, while an emotional cover of The Proclaimers’ I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) plays in the background. It’s a heartwarming theme that last year earned Anheuser-Busch one of the most coveted honors in American advertising, USA TODAY’s consumer-judged Ad Meter for Super Bowl Commercials.
The Budweiser Clydesdales made their Super Bowl commercial debut nearly 30 years ago, during Super Bowl XX. During the years, ads featuring the lovable horses have proven to be some of the most popular in U.S. television history. To qualify for a spot on today’s eight-horse hitch, a Budweiser Clydesdale must meet size, color and disposition requirements, including standing 18 hands (about six feet) at the shoulder and weighing approximately 2,000 pounds.
The Clydesdale horses originated as the farm horses of Clydesdale, Scotland, and were named after that region. The Clydesdale horse was originally used for heavy agriculture and hauling coal in Glasgow. The Budweiser Clydesdales were first owned by the Budweiser Brewery in the U.S. at the end of Prohibition. In those early days of American beermaking, a brewer’s success hinged on how far his horses could pull a load each day, and the Clydesdales, capable of pulling loads heavier than a ton at walking speeds, soon became the harness horse of choice for the entire U.S. brewing industry.
The Budweiser commercials starring the Clydesdales date from the 1986 Super Bowl, when the horses were seen tromping through the snow while a chorus sang “when you say Bud, you’ve said it all” in the background. The Clydesdales began appearing regularly in subsequent Super Bowls, but it was the 1996 commercial, depicting two teams of horses playing football in a snow-covered mountain meadow, that really captured the affection of American audiences.
A heartwrenching moment came in the commercial “Respect,” which depicted the horse team bowing to the New York City skyline in honor of those who lost their lives on 9/11. Reportedly, it aired only once, so that Budweiser wouldn’t benefit financially from the tragedy.
While many of the Budweiser Clydesdale commercials tug shamelessly on your heartstrings, others are just plain funny. All are unmistakenly inventive. Of course, none of them really has much to do with the product they’re advertising, but no one seems to care.
