Oscar-winning Nomadland director Chloé Zhao is the driving force behind an uplifting Super Bowl ad.
The Budweiser Clydesdales were nowhere to be seen during Super Bowl LV, marking the first time in 37 years that “The King of Beers” did not run advertising during The Big Game.
But that was then, this is now.
On Sunday, Super Bowl LVI viewers will witness the return of the Clydesdales — well, one of them, anyway — in a beautifully produced ad aptly titled “A Clydesdale’s Journey.” Director Chloé Zhao, winner of an Academy Award (and a C&I Movie Award) for Nomadland, is the driving force behind the commercial, which tells the uplifting story of a Clydesdale who recovers from what initially appears to be a crippling injury — much to the delight of his best buddy, a yellow lab.
And it’s all capped off with this stirring onscreen message: “"In the home of the brave, down never means out.”
For Daniel Blake, Group Vice President of Marketing for Budweiser & Value at Anheuser-Busch, the Super Bowl spot represents his brand’s acknowledgement of, and appreciation for, everything Americans have been through during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As America’s beer,” Blake said in an official statement, “we wanted to come back to the Super Bowl with a message of strength and resilience. Budweiser has a history of supporting the country through difficult times and reminding communities across America that better days are ahead. With this Super Bowl spot, our goal was to highlight the perseverance and determination of the country and depict that by coming together, we can grow and move forward stronger than before.”
Here is a preview of “A Clydesdale’s Journey.”
