The Budweiser Clydesdales are in the spotlight this week over the Anheiser-Busch announcement that they pulled the Clydsedale spot from the Superbowl line up. Followed by an announcement that the spot still has a life on Facebook and could still be trotted out into the Superbowl.
It's funny that the Clydesdales are in the spotlight this week since just this week I had a Budweiser Clydesdale trailer truck spotting on 1-95 in Darien, CT on my way home from work. I actually took a picture while I was driving but lost it. New phone, haven't fully figured it out yet.
It's funny that the Clydesdales are in the spotlight this week since just this week I had a Budweiser Clydesdale trailer truck spotting on 1-95 in Darien, CT on my way home from work. I actually took a picture while I was driving but lost it. New phone, haven't fully figured it out yet.
The Clydesdales are an American icon reminding us of simpler times. It is nostalgia at it finest. The majestic Clydesdales pulling the beautifully detailed fire engine red wagon. In turbulent times, people find comfort in reflecting on the simpler days.
Personally it takes me to my childhood and a proud memory of my father. During a family trip to the Big E in Springfield, Massachusetts way back when, we heard of the Budweiser horses on the grounds. Being from a family of emphatic horse lovers, we tracked them down and my father struck up a conversation with the crew and even helped them harness them up. My sister and I got to sit in the wagon and my father had the chance to take the reigns.
I look forward to seeing the Clydesdales as a horse enthusiast, as having a sort of personal connection with them, as a special family childhood memory and as an American tradition.
In terms of marketing, like the Nike swish, the Clydesdales are a successful Budweiser brand. These horses are imbedded in American's brain that the beer goes hand in hand with the horses. When you see the horses, you think Budweiser. Why forfeit that kind of established branding?
Perhaps the marketers are testing consumer loyalty. By announcing the Clydesdales were pulled from the traditional Superbowl appearance they can not only gage the interest in the Clydesdales but also put the spotlight on them for a free plug. The marketers of Anheiser-Busch have brought the Clydesdales in to the new generation of marketing by posting the spot on a Facebook page. As a technique to capture more Facebook fans and engage their fans, this spot is featured along with two others that fans can view and vote on to appear in the Superbowl. Brilliant!
Cheers!
Jan Pierret
