The real story behind Budweiser's 9/11 ad that aired just one time
BudweiserAs Americans reflect and pay tribute every year on September 11, an unusual ad often resurfaces - a Budweiser commercial that aired just one time.
In 2002, the beer brand debuted a one-minute commercial showing the iconic Budweiser Clydesdales traveling to New York City and bowing before the lower Manhattan skyline as a sign of respect. The ad only appeared on television once, during the 2002 Super Bowl.
"With this tribute, we wanted to respectfully honor those affected by the events of September 11th," Jorn Socquet, vice president of marketing at Anheuser-Busch said in an email to Business Insider. "While the original ad aired just once, the Budweiser Clydesdales delivered our sentiments in a moving way that continues to resonate."
Budweiser received the blessing and support of then-mayor Rudy Giuliani before creating the ad, which you can watch here:
A video of the ad, uploaded to YouTube in 2008, has more than 18 million views.
While the commercial only aired once, the video resurfaces almost every year on social media.
Budweiser only aired this once as a tribute to 9-11, not an ad. #NeverForget https://t.co/0tkHNiaDJ7- Kathleen Madigan (@kathleenmadigan) September 11, 2016
"We are humbled to hear from people around the world who are re-watching and sharing the ad online as a way of observing the 15th anniversary," says Socquet.
Budweiser did air a reworked version of the ad in 2011. The new video had small changes, intended to reflect the 10 years that had passed. The company says the updated version was released to raise awareness for the fundraising campaign for the National September 11 Memorial and Museum.