Remember the Budweiser 9/11 TV spot?

On Patriot Day, the national day of mourning for those killed in the September 11 attacks, many recall the flag-waving advertising that came to the fore in the ensuing years. Not the least among such television commercials was the iconic Budweiser Clydesdales “9/11 Tribute” ad, which aired only once.

For the 19th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, Fox2now St. Louis looked back on the memorable commercial dreamed up by Anheuser-Busch’s creative team in the aftermath of the terrorist strikes.

The original spot graced viewers’ TV screens during Super Bowl XXXVI on February 3, 2002 and it made a lasting impression on many people’s memories. As onetime Anheuser-Busch Global Creative VP Bob Lachky recollected, even the commercial’s production was an unforgettable affair.

“We filmed in New York City,” the former executive explains. “We had a helicopter going over the Brooklyn Bridge. Mayor Giuliani let us into the city — the only film company of any sort right after 9/11. To actually come into air space with our helicopter to film the Clydesdale … [it was] just amazing.”

Viewers might also recall that Budweiser televised an updated version of the ad on September 11, 2011, for the memorial’s tenth anniversary. Still, the original commercial (as seen above) has aired just the one time.

With unforgettable visuals, a heart-tugging score and minimal branding, the iconic commercial stands as a moving tribute for those lost in 9/11. It certainly proves the steadfast remembrance found in many Americans’ hearts, as displayed in the closing tagline: “We’ll never forget.”

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