Why "Real Storytelling Works" for Budweiser’s Super Bowl Clydesdales

Budweiser's Super Bowl ad for 2025,  'First Delivery', introduced an adorable foal to the Clydesdale horses saga for the first time in 10 years. Created by FCB New York and directed by Smuggler's Henry-Alex Rubin, the film shows the cute character helping to deliver a beer keg that has fallen off of a classic Clydesdale hitch.

Over the last 90 years, the Clydesdales have cemented their place as Super Bowl icons. They’re a symbol of Anheuser-Busch’s heritage and of American tradition, explains FCB New York’s ECD, Alexandre Abrantes. And it’s this legacy, that of a brand and cultural icon, that’s always top of mind for the creative team when developing a new Clydesdales tale each year.

“Not many brands around the world have what Budweiser has – a moment in time when consumers wait in anticipation to watch an ad,” says Alexandre. “That's Budweiser at the Super Bowl.”

“It takes a village,” he adds, sharing that creative ideation for the ‘First Delivery’ spot began in May 2024. However, the team wanted to approach things a bit differently for Super Bowl LIX. 

“This year we wanted to give fans a fresh take on a classic story,” says Budweiser’s head of marketing, Kristina Punwani. “While the Clydesdales have represented Budweiser since 1933 as a symbol of tradition and heritage, this is the first time in 10 years our spot stars a foal.”

She continues, “While the spot brings to life Budweiser’s legacy and steadfast commitment to always deliver for consumers through the journey of a determined Clydesdale foal, the foal himself captures the American spirit and symbolises anyone who puts in the hard work and determination it takes to deliver on their own commitments and goals. Our hope is that anyone who watches the spot can find the themes and narrative relatable to their lives in some way.”

Alexandre says it was clear from the start that FCB New York had a “special” idea, sharing that director Henry-Alex Rubin helped finalise the story, and that the brand team immediately fell in love after reading the script. “At that moment the excitement was palpable. And that’s when we realised: How in the world are we going to get a baby Clydesdale to push a beer keg? And not just once, but in several different places… until we actually walk into a bar. Luckily we had an incredible team of talented trainers who really can make magic happen with the Clydesdales.”

Having worked on a Clydesdales Super Bowl ad last year, FCB New York knew that authenticity was key, and so a real foal was needed for the shoot. “It couldn’t just be CG,” says Alex. “But we knew we couldn’t do it alone, so we assembled the dream team once again. From the Clydesdales team, to our partners at Smuggler and our director, we did everything to make this just perfect. The addition of Rodrigo Prieto as a DP was all we needed to one-up last year’s commercial.”

“Henry and the FCB team perfectly captured what we were hoping to portray in this spot,” adds Kristina. “They brought a cinematic feel with an air of classic Budweiser that effectively tells the story of determination and resilience demonstrated by the foal.”

Reflecting on this year’s story, she says that the themes in the spot – the grit, resilience and hard work that define the American spirit – aren’t just applicable to the context of a divided America in 2025 but are, in fact, “timeless”. More than that, she says they’re qualities deserving of celebration – to be presented in a lighthearted, heartfelt way that makes viewers smile.

“This year’s spot strikes a perfect balance with nostalgia, including classic elements viewers look forward to in our commercials every year and a fresh story about hard work and determination,” she says. “Grit, dedication and resilience comes in all shapes and sizes! Creating a Super Bowl ad is no easy feat, but our team brought the theme of the spot to life by overcoming challenges to deliver this magical piece of content.”

“It all comes down to storytelling,” adds Alexandre. “Combining humorous moments with ones that pull at the heartstrings is key to appealing to such a vast audience.” He laughs, “Put baby Clydesdales in your commercial and people will love it! 

“Jokes aside, it’s such an honour to work with a brand that has such a beloved icon. And being true to the brand speaks louder than simply adding a celebrity to your film. There’s a lot that’s said about ‘the Super Bowl formula’ – truth is, real storytelling works.”