If it's wrong, I've probably said it...
I just got an email at work that is being circulated through military circles, as well as through the press. You can read the details here - Anheuser-Busch Honors U.S. Troops With Heroes Salute.

The gist is that Anheuser-Busch is offering free admission to its theme parks between 7 Feb and 31 Dec 2005 to active duty military, active reservists, U.S. Coast Guard, National Guardsmen and as many as three direct dependents.

According to the press release, this program was to be kicked off with a pregame party for service members at Ft Bragg. I thought that the Anheuser-Busch Salute to the Troops spot that ran during the Superbowl was well done, too. I remember wondering during the first seconds of the ad what company was using an airport for their commercial. Then the people looking at the Soldiers and the clapping started. It reminded me a little of the ad they ran in the 02 Superbowl where the Clydesdale team made its way to NYC and bowed to the twin tower-less skyline. Simple. Well done. Classy.

In addition to this gesture, the press release linked above also reports about similar acts that Anheuser-Busch have offered in the past. Including donations to a scholarship fund for surviving family members of fallen service members and donations to veterans organizations.

Just to add my own personal knowledge, in 2001 I reenlisted on board the USS Missouri in Pearl Harbor. The Mighty Mo is kept up by a non-profit organization that receives all funds from donations, whether private or corporate. The military liaison made sure we knew that the largest corporate donor to the organization is Anheuser-Busch.



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on Feb 07, 2005
Go Anheuser-Busch!!!!

I still remember the day a few of us families from Casablanca housing area at Ft. Bragg went up to Busch Gardens (Williamsburg) together. It was a great day for all of us and an appreciated geture!!!

I hope the troops and their families have as much fun on their day as we did on ours!!!

It's great to see a "heartless corporation" do so much for so many!!!
on Feb 07, 2005
I was very impressed and even moved by the spot, but became a little uneasy at the end when the A-B logo appeared. Hard to put a finger on it, but in a way I was a little put off by the notion of A-B taking advantage of our troops for advertising purposes.

If it had been me in charge (there's a laugh), I would have left all company fingerprints off the spot & just let it run - let A-B be the silent benefactor of a a Public Service Announcement, so to speak. The buzz from people wondering who sponsored the ad would have been immense and people would eventually find out anyway. I probably would have been fired by A-B, but I still like that idea better.

Cheers,
Daiwa
on Feb 08, 2005
I didn't see that ad during the game, but I'm glad you posted it here. I think they did a tasteful job. Yeah, they had the ad in there, but it wasn't ostentatious....

I went to Seaworld once before on thier dime....I'll have to take the opportunity again....
on Feb 08, 2005
I went to Seaworld once before on thier dime


We got to do that, too, when Adrian was in AIT in San Antonio. Pretty cool.