Budweiser Super Bowl ad features story of founder Adolphus Busch’s coming to America: Report

The makers of Budweiser will air a 60-second spot during the Super Bowl centered on the story of co-founder Adolphus Busch’s coming to America, Advertising Age reported Tuesday.

The ad depicts a young Busch’s perilous voyage to St. Louis, Missouri, and at one point shows an angry man telling the German immigrant that he’s not welcome and to “go back home.” 

The commercial concludes with Anheuser-Busch co-founder Eberhard Anheuser introducing himself to Busch while buying him a beer. 

Bought up by European beverage giant InBev in 2008 for $52 billion, Anheuser-Busch had been a family-run operation for five generations. The American subsidiary Anheuser-Busch Companies LLC remains headquartered in St. Louis.

“Adolphus would be proud to know we are continuing to celebrate his legacy and his relentless pursuit to create the most iconic beer brand in the world,” Steven Busch, Adolphus’s great-great grandson said in a company statement, according to Advertising Age. “It’s an honor to follow in his footsteps in the beer business. He lived the American dream and his perseverance, hard work and unwavering commitment to quality laid the foundation for the success of Budweiser and this great company.”

Both the iconic beer company and the advertising agency behind the spot deny the message of the ad is aimed at the ongoing political debates about immigration and border security.

“When Budweiser told us they wanted to celebrate those who embody the American spirit, we realized the ultimate story lived within their own brand history,” said advertising executive Mike Byrne, reported Advertising Age. “Adolphus Busch is the hero of the Anheuser-Busch American dream story, which makes him the perfect protagonist.”

“This commercial shows the start of Budweiser’s journey, and while it is set in the 1800’s, it’s a story we believe will resonate with today’s entrepreneurial generation — those who continue strive for their dreams,” Anheuser-Busch executive Ricardo Marques said in a company statement, according to Advertising Age.