Anheuser-Busch yesterday during NFL games "aired a remake" of its famous Clydesdale ad that aired only during Super Bowl XXXVI in '02 as a way to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, according to Todd Frankel of the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. The '02 ad depicted a hitch team traveling across the country to N.Y., where the horses "dip their heads and bend their legs before the city's skyline in recognition of what happened on Sept. 11, 2001." Yesterday's add featured "largely the same script and scenes, except the snow on the ground has been replaced by grass -- a digital sleight-of-hand" (
STLTODAY.com, 9/11). Meanwhile, YAHOO.com's Mike Krumholtz noted State Farm yesterday ran an ad during NFL coverage of "roughly 150 children from New York serenading members of the FDNY to the tune of Jay-Z and Alicia Keys's smash hit 'Empire State of Mind.'" The ad, directed by Spike Lee, was aimed to "help honor the victims and heroes of Sept. 11" (
NEWS.YAHOO.com, 9/11). Gatorade Manager of Sports Partnerships
John Shumate wrote on his Twitter feed, “State Farm’s NYC tribute commercial was phenomenal! Gave me the chills! Well done!” Richards Sports + Entertainment Principal
Kern Egan wrote, “Kudos to @StateFarm & @VerizonWireless for their 9/11 tribute ads. Few brands have the $ to use NFL inventory to run them.”
