The 9/11 Anheuser Busch tribute ad that aired only once

ST. LOUIS - As Americans reflect on the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, we look back at a powerful advertisement that resonated with viewers during a sensitive time.

In 2002, Anheuser-Busch launched a powerful ad during the Super Bowl that commemorated 9/11. The powerful ad only aired once during its initial debut.

The ad guides viewers along a journey featuring a group of the brewery's iconic Clydesdales as they travel to New York City, the site of the 9/11 attacks. When the Clydesdales reach their destination, they take a bow before the forever altered skyline.

Amidst a sensitive time in U.S. history, the ad was strategically created through extensive cooperation between several entities, including Congress and the New York City Mayor's office.

At the time, then-New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani granted special permission to Anheuser-Busch, giving the company unprecedented access to helicopter footage of the Clydesdales in Battery Park.

Although the advertisement only aired once, Anheuser-Busch remastered and updated the original ad decades later.

The ad was remastered 2011 in an effort to support a fundraising initiative for the National September 11 Memorial. The brewing company later updated the commercial again in 2021, showcasing the completed One World Trade Center and the contemporary New York skyline. The updated ad concludes with the message, “20 years later, we’ll never forget.”

As another year of reflection passes since the events of 9/11, the tribute continues to serve as a poignant reminder of the tragedy and the resilience that followed.

Watch the 2021 remastered ad here.