When Congress repealed Prohibition in 1933, August Anheuser Busch, Jr. — grandson of Budweiser founder Adolphus Busch — had a marketing idea. Conjuring the horse-drawn wagons that delivered beer in the pre-automotive days, he purchased a team of dray horses, hitched them to a buckboard, and clopped some Budweiser over to the White House — a gift to President Roosevelt, who was known to enjoy a drink or two.
This legendary promotional stunt introduced the Budweiser Clydesdales to America. Its a theme Anheuser-Busch is trotting out now, as part of its 150th anniversary marketing campaign.
“Great Delivery,” a 30-second ad debuting today (April 30), will be the showpiece of a year’s worth of sesquicentennial marketing for the lager that first poured from the vats in St. Louis in 1876. The spot follows the horses hauling kegs of beer from Bud’s landmark brewery and over hill and dale to reach Anytown U.S.A., where a bunch of regular fellas happily accept a case of the brew.
“The delivery metaphor underscores Budweiser’s commitment to continually deliver a high-quality American classic lager,” said svp of marketing Todd Allen. “We intentionally highlight delivery moments because they reinforce how Budweiser is delivered to every corner of America, bringing people together and creating moments of connection, with the Clydesdales at the center of that story.”
“These ads also nod to everyone behind our brand, from the farmers and brewers to the drivers and communities we serve,” he continued.
The spot is a summertime salvo in Budweiser’s “Made in America” campaign, which kicked off earlier this year with “American Icons,” the Super Bowl LX spot that featured a bald eagle riding on a Clydesdale with Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird” as the soundtrack.
Bud 150, America 250
In a lucky coincidence, Budweiser’s 150th birthday happens to coincide with America’s 250th. But in its patriotic trappings, “Great Delivery” might even have Uncle Sam beat.
Packed into this half minute ad are cowboys on horseback, Route 66, the West, American flags, veterans, and a ticker-tape parade where the fluttering paper is red, white, and blue. Backing it all up is the 1973 Grand Funk Railroad hit, “We’re an American Band.”
To quote the company, “Budweiser hopes the spot inspires Americans to come together and pick up a Budweiser to celebrate the moments that connect us all.”
But in a polarized country where some consumers might regard so much flag waving as code for the political right, it’s worth asking if visuals like these might divide an audience before uniting it.
