The powerful 9/11 Budweiser ad that aired only once

ST. LOUIS — On September 11, 2024, we mark the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks with a reflection on a memorable tribute. In 2002, Anheuser-Busch, the St. Louis-based company known for Budweiser, aired a commercial during the Super Bowl that resonated deeply with viewers.

The ad shows the Clydesdales traveling to New York City, where they bow before the forever altered skyline. This powerful image aired only once during its initial release.

The tribute required extensive cooperation between Congress, the New York City Mayor’s Office, and several other entities. The filming happened during a sensitive time in U.S. history, when the nation was at war and experiencing heightened tension. Then-Mayor Giuliani granted special permission for helicopter footage of the Clydesdales in Battery Park, allowing for unprecedented access.

In 2011, Anheuser-Busch remastered the ad to support a fundraising initiative for the National September 11 Memorial. A decade later, in 2021, the company updated the commercial again. This version showcases the completed One World Trade Center and the contemporary New York skyline. It also features beams of light marking the locations of the fallen towers, visible from dusk until dawn each September 11. The updated ad concludes with the message, “20 years later, we’ll never forget.”

As we approach nearly a quarter-century since the events of 9/11, this advertisement continues to serve as a poignant reminder of the tragedy and the resilience that followed.

Watch the 2021 remastered ad here.

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