Budweiser’s Emotional 9/11 Tribute Aired Only Once — And People Still Remember It
There are some television commercials that people remember for years.
And then there are commercials that become part of history.
In February 2002, just months after the September 11 attacks, Budweiser aired one of the most emotional advertisements in Super Bowl history.
It featured the company’s famous Clydesdale horses.
There was no narration.
There was no dialogue.
And there was almost no branding.
Instead, the commercial told its story through a quiet journey that ended with one unforgettable moment in New York City.
View this post on Instagram
The Clydesdales Made a Journey to New York
The commercial begins with the Clydesdales leaving a snowy farm.
The horses travel across the countryside before eventually reaching New York City.
They cross the Brooklyn Bridge and arrive at Battery Park.
Behind them is the New York skyline and the Statue of Liberty.
But something is missing.
The World Trade Center towers are gone.
The horses stop.
They look toward the skyline.
Then they slowly bow.
At the end of the commercial, three simple words appear:
“We’ll never forget.”
The Budweiser logo does not appear until the very end.
View this post on Instagram
The Commercial Aired Only Once
The tribute was shown during Super Bowl XXXVI on February 3, 2002.
That was less than five months after the September 11 attacks.
The country was still grieving, Ground Zero was still being cleared and the United States was at war.
Budweiser chose not to turn the moment into a traditional advertisement.
The company later confirmed that the commercial aired only once.
Anheuser-Busch said it wanted to respectfully honor those affected by September 11 and was overwhelmed by the positive response to the tribute.
That decision helped make the commercial even more memorable.
People who saw it during the Super Bowl knew they had witnessed something different.
View this post on Instagram
Filming the Tribute Wasn’t Easy
Creating the commercial in New York just months after the attacks required special permission.
The production involved filming around the Brooklyn Bridge and Battery Park, including aerial footage.
According to former Anheuser-Busch creative executive Bob Lachky, the company worked with Congress and then-New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani to obtain the necessary approvals.
The filming was considered unusual because New York remained under intense security following the attacks.
A helicopter was even used to capture footage of the Clydesdales crossing the Brooklyn Bridge.
Meet Ringo, the Horse Behind the Bow
One of the most remarkable details behind the commercial involves a Clydesdale named Ringo.
Ringo was specifically trained to perform the bow seen at the end of the advertisement.
The moment may look simple, but getting a giant Clydesdale to perform such a precise movement required extensive training.
According to Anheuser-Busch’s ranch manager Amy Trout, Ringo was one of her favorite Clydesdales and was trained specifically for the commercial.
That single bow became the emotional center of the entire advertisement.
Budweiser Brought the Tribute Back Years Later
Although the original commercial was never aired again, Budweiser eventually created updated versions.
In 2011, for the 10th anniversary of September 11, the company released an updated version featuring the Clydesdales.
The skyline had changed by then, reflecting the passage of time.
Budweiser also released another updated version in 2021 for the 20th anniversary.
But for many people, nothing quite matched the original.
It captured New York at a moment when the wounds were still incredibly fresh.
A Commercial People Never Forgot
The power of the original Budweiser tribute came from what it didn’t say.
There were no speeches.
No dramatic narration.
No long explanation.
Just eight powerful horses making their way toward New York City.
And then, in silence, bowing toward the skyline.
More than two decades later, people still remember that Super Bowl commercial.
It was created as an advertisement, but it became something much more meaningful.
A tribute.
A moment of silence.
And a reminder of the people who were lost on September 11.
We’ll never forget.
