https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPKgC8KPBMg
This ad is for Budweiser beer played during one of the previous Super Bowls. It’s my favorite ad because I love puppies and it has a really sweet message of forming family with others who are different than you. And although Budweiser or beer is not even mentioned, any viewer during the Super bowl would know that this is the Budweiser commercial. I think this is because the Budweiser organization is known for their commercials that inspire community among the beer-drinking commercials.
This ad targets beer-drinkers but also farmers and animal lovers, creating a large pool of people that would be invested in watching this ad and then going out to purchase Budweiser. By showing this bond between a horse and a puppy, and the heartbroken farmer at the puppy’s disappearance, the audience assumes that this beer fosters relationships between friends and family of this magnitude of love. If you drink Budweiser, then your friends will come save you and be so happy to see you when you return from anywhere else.
I agree with you that this ad not only appeals to a large group of people, but also appeals largely to our emotions and empathy. Because seriously who can resist feeling a little love when the puppy is saved from the wolves by his horse friends and makes it him safely. The use of this ad during the Super Bowl is a good use of their money and time to get across their product in a heartfelt way to a large audience.
Oh I love this commercial! I feel like you are so right about the connection that is brought out in the commercial and never thought of it that way! Beer is typically shown to be a very “rugged” drink for men, but showing the softer side allows this beer to reach multiple audiences!
I remember loving all of these Budweiser commercials with the as a child which is so interesting because that is not their target audience, and yet the puppies and horses are appealing to people of all ages. Looking at this with a more critical eye, it is unclear what horses and dogs have to do with beer, but at someone from St. Louis where Anheuser-Busch originated, I know the iconic Budweiser clydesdales remain a tourist attraction today, and is are still relevant to their brand.
As soon as I saw this video on yours, I kicked myself because this really is one of my top advertisements too. It is crazy to think that I am not a member of Budweisers intended audience, but the advertisement is just so appealing to everyone and just stuck in my mind. After this commercial, I always kept an eye out for the Budweiser commercials during every super bowl halftime show just to see if anything could top this. There’s not really a better way to appeal to an audience than through adorable puppies and animals.