Aired on February 3, 2002, this Budweiser commercial offered an emotional and sensible tribute to the victims of the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. By using a national tragedy for product advertising, Budweiser boldly went were few companies had succeeded before. The result was one of the most memorable tributes to 9/11, and an overwhelming response from Americans from across the nation. The commercial, which contained no words, aired only once, so Budweiser would not profit from the worst tragedy in American history.
While there are no obvious political philosophies in Budweiser’s “Respect” (because the ad was intentionally created devoid of politics), the ad has an underlying populist message of nationalism and patriotism. By using the Clydesdales to tell the story of unity, Budweiser uses the American tradition of solidarity in the wake of adversity to bring the nation together and support those grieving from the attacks. While this approach would usually be considered republican, using the traditions to evoke emotions of nationalism and patriotism from viewers appeals to populist traditions. The Clydesdales, as the nationally recognized company mascot, offer a symbol that unites the nation behind the brand. In …show more content…
While the events of September 11th impacted the lives of every American, some felt the impact more than others. Nevertheless, all viewers can relate to the difficulty of losing family members, be it to tragedies or natural causes. The commercial uses no words, because no words are needed to explain the message of sorrow and loss. No words are needed to tell viewers that they are not struggling alone. The Clydesdales bowing to the New York skyline says more than words ever could, because viewers are invited to use their own personal experiences to tell the story of
While there are no obvious political philosophies in Budweiser’s “Respect” (because the ad was intentionally created devoid of politics), the ad has an underlying populist message of nationalism and patriotism. By using the Clydesdales to tell the story of unity, Budweiser uses the American tradition of solidarity in the wake of adversity to bring the nation together and support those grieving from the attacks. While this approach would usually be considered republican, using the traditions to evoke emotions of nationalism and patriotism from viewers appeals to populist traditions. The Clydesdales, as the nationally recognized company mascot, offer a symbol that unites the nation behind the brand. In …show more content…
While the events of September 11th impacted the lives of every American, some felt the impact more than others. Nevertheless, all viewers can relate to the difficulty of losing family members, be it to tragedies or natural causes. The commercial uses no words, because no words are needed to explain the message of sorrow and loss. No words are needed to tell viewers that they are not struggling alone. The Clydesdales bowing to the New York skyline says more than words ever could, because viewers are invited to use their own personal experiences to tell the story of