September 11th 2001, was the day our country changed forever. The freedom enjoyed was soon to be a thing of the past. With the attacks on the world trade towers and the pentagon by terrorists working with Osama Bin Laden, America was thrust into a new world filled with the patriot act and freedom fries. But, for some, this horrific act of terror only served to strengthen their patriotism and general resolve. In 2002, with open wounds still healing, the Superbowl was full of remembrances for the fallen men and women whose lives were taken for no other reason than to promote hate and crush the symbols of the west. Like most people, we all love the Superbowl adverts and watch the show for them and the iconic halftime show. During the commercials, Budweiser aired an advert honoring the memory of what was lost during the attack.
The advert only aired once, but it was a heartbreaking reminder of what terrorism stole from us, and the world. The advert features the well-known Clydesdale’s who leave their barn and begin a journey down a quiet road. The horses move on down the road and even travel over the Brooklyn Bridge. The commercial ends with the horses bowing down to the Statue of Liberty. The commercial is a tear jerker, but it is a symbol of Americas resilience in the face of hate and senseless violence. Even though the advert only appeared once on TV, it has constantly done its rounds on the internet and is played by some on the anniversary of the attack. In an unprecedented move, Mayor Rudy Guliani allowed filming for the commercial to be done on-site as opposed to a studio with a green screen.The advert was produced by The Anheuser-Busch team and so iconic and sensitive was the topic, that the team had to get congressional approval to make and air the advert. The concern at the time was whether the ad would be perceived as insensitive, but it proved otherwise. The advert was only aired once out of respect for those who died, but it (the ad) has been uploaded to social media periodically since its first airing in 2002.
10 years after the attacks, the advert aired during remembrances of the attacks. The advert was updated but still maintained its iconic feelings and somber outlook. YouTube subscribers categorize the advert as true patriotism and argue that the advert should be aired every year in honor of those who fell. There is so much power in advertising and ad’s as iconic as this one only go to show how much we as a nation care for one another and highlight the fact that we have not, and will never bow down to terrorists. Adverts like this give hope to the masses and the promise of a better tomorrow through unity and a renewed sense of patriotism. Through hope we can build a better tomorrow for the next generation and hope that we never see this kind of terror, ever again.
