Budweiser didn’t wait for the Super Bowl to begin — it struck before the countdown even mattered. By releasing its ad early, the brand didn’t just break tradition, it hijacked the emotional timeline of the nation and sent a shockwave rippling across global social media. This wasn’t marketing impatience. It was a calculated move that turned a commercial into a cultural event overnight.
What viewers expected to be a beer ad unfolded instead as a relentless emotional experience, peeling back layers of nostalgia, pride, loss, and identity in a way that felt almost uncomfortably intimate. Reactions poured in within minutes — people admitting they cried, sat in silence, or replayed it just to understand why it hit so hard. Many are already calling it the most powerful advertisement ever made, not because it was loud or flashy, but because it went straight for the emotional core America rarely admits is still there.
While other brands played it safe, waiting for the comfort of Super Bowl airtime, Budweiser moved first and claimed something far more valuable than attention: collective feeling. It didn’t compete for viewers — it overwhelmed them, proving that storytelling, when done right, can still stop the world in its tracks.
And if you haven’t seen it yet, you’re not just late — you’re missing the cultural moment everyone is still trying to process.
Budweiser is celebrating 150 years of making beer in the U.S. by featuring two “American icon” animals in its 2026 Super Bowl ad
Budweiser is back with a brand new Super Bowl commercial.
The beer brand is celebrating 150 years of brewing in the U.S., and to mark the occasion, Budweiser is featuring two “American Icons” animals in its Super Bowl LX ad of the same name: a bald eagle and one of Budweiser’s iconic Clydesdale horses. After sharing two adorable teasers of the spot, PEOPLE has a look at the full commercial ahead of Super Bowl Sunday.
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In the ad, marking the 48th Super Bowl commercial appearance by Budweiser Clydesdales, a down-on-its-luck eaglet befriends a Clydesdale foal.
“As we celebrate Budweiser’s 150th anniversary and America’s 250th birthday, we knew we had to rise to the occasion in a way only Budweiser can. ‘American Icons’ brings our heritage to life through powerful storytelling with the Budweiser Clydesdales and an American Bald Eagle. This year’s spot will leave fans awestruck and proud to enjoy a Budweiser as they celebrate our shared milestone moments.” Todd Allen, the SVP of Marketing for Budweiser at Anheuser-Busch, shared in a statement.
The commercial begins with a Clydesdale foal greeting the morning by galloping out of their stable into the fields. During the horse’s jaunt, the animal comes across an American bald eagle chick who has fallen from their nest onto the ground. Despite the drop, the tiny, fluffy eaglet appears unharmed and too young to fly.
Over the course of the ad, the two animals form a strong friendship, supporting each other through rain, snow, growing pains, and flying lessons. It ends with the two creatures fully grown and more in sync than ever. Now, able to soar, the bald eagle riding the horse’s back spreads its wings and takes off, making the Clydesdale briefly look like a mythical pegasus. The ad cuts to Budweiser’s slogan “Made of America,” followed by the text “For 150 Years, This Bud’s For You,” before concluding on a teary-eyed farmer watching the Clydesdale and eagle thrive together.
“Are you crying?” his companion asks. “The sun’s in my eyes,” the emotional farmer responds. According to Budweiser, one of the farmers featured in the 2026 Super Bowl ad is Brian Fransen, a real-life Budweiser barley farmer.
The minute-long “American Icons” spot will air nationally during Super Bowl LX and on Budweiser’s YouTube and social channels.
The Seattle Seahawks will play the New England Patriots for Super Bowl LX on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
