They have been taken advantage of and, once again, cut through the Brooklyn Bridge on their way to pay tribute to the fallen.
Budweiser released an updated version of its iconic commercial “Respect” ahead of the twentieth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
The original, which aired during the 2002 Super Bowl, featured the brand’s historic Clydesdale horse team pulling a red Budweiser wagon through the winter field to a cobbled street in Lower Manhattan. The horses crossed the Brooklyn Bridge, somehow reaching Liberty State Park in the city of Jersey, where the team leaned toward lower Manhattan with a gap open on the horizon.
Aside from the geographical challenges, the 60-second ad touched the hearts of millions for its ability to transcend commercialism and capture the still-broken heart of the nation.
It was considered one of the best Super Bowl announcements of all time, but was only aired once until it was played on the 10th anniversary of the attacks.
The new version uses some of the original imagery, including the cobbled walk through downtown and the famous scene of the horses crossing the Brooklyn Bridge.
Follow our coverage of the 20th anniversary of September 11 here:
New Yorkers may recall that filming the scene by helicopter in 2001 required special permission from Congress and then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
The additions to the update come at the beginning and end of the minute clip, when the Clydesdales cling to their harnesses and cross green fields and when they arrive at Liberty State Park. It’s a summer scene as they lean back into Lower Manhattan, this time with the World Trade Center void filled and the “Tribute to Light” reaching for the sky.
“Twenty years later, we’ll never forget it,” he appears on the screen as solemn music plays.
The Budweiser logo appears at the end, along with that of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum and the Never Forget Fund.
According to reports, the announcement will be played today during Saturday’s Air Force-Marine football game, which will air on CBS, and again tonight during the second installment of the Yankees-Mets Subway Series on Fox .