Budweiser's Fake Dalmatian Ad a Winner at Super Bowl XLI

The Budweiser Fake Dalmatian ad is a beautiful produced sentimental favorite among this year's crop of Super Bowl XLI ads. It does a great job of promoting Budweiser's wholesome, American image. (Click here to watch this ad)

The Ad

A cute white lab mix mutt finds himself down and out. He is chase away from the Butcher shop without even a scrap of food. Another dog is guarding the garbage, so he can't even get a morsel of food from there.

So sad, he sees a parade pass by, with a beautiful Dalmatian receiving all of the accolades. This cheers him up until a car passes by and splashes him with mud. But then, he catches his own reflection in the mirror. Covered in spots of mud, he now looks like a Dalmatian himself!

In his disguise, our mutt joins the Dalmatian in the parade. "How lucky can one guy be?" the announcer sings. The mutt now rides in the parade, on top of the world. And the ad ends on the Budweiser logo with the tagline onscreen "KING OF BEERS."

Why It Works

This ad works because it is an easy sentimental favorite. Who wouldn't feel sorry for the down and out mutt? You can't help but root for him. You can't help but cheer when he's riding on top of the world in the parade!

This ad employs the marketing technique known as WIFFM, which stands for What's In It For Me. This ad plays on the fact that viewers may relate to the mutt. Who hasn't felt down and out in his or her own life? The premise here is to tie-in the Budweiser brand with the feelings of overcoming one's shortcomings and reaching the pinnacle of success just like the mutt did.

This ad also works because it employs humor. It is sentimental, but it eases up on the viewer by allowing one to laugh at the end. The image of the mutt running towards the parade at the end covered in mud spots is very humorous. So, when we see the mutt riding in the parade, it is truly a feel good moment and not too melodramatic.