Great Super Bowl Ads Featuring Animals

As Super Bowl LXV weekend is upon us, its pre-game show has included crazy marketing campaigns and a growing buzz about the event commercials. For those of us who are interested in advertising and marketing, the Super Bowl ads represent the ability of a Company to "bring it" on and "strut" their stuff to the absolute max. At a price tag this year of about $3M, this cost does not include fees for actors, equipment, ad agencies, directors, crew and other personnel. And, while we are anxiously awaiting Kim Kardashian's spot promoting Skechers, excited to see Eminem in the Claymation ad, or surprised to see Ozzy Osbourne teaming up with Justin Bieber for Best Buy, I am always eager to see the 30-second spots featuring the animals. Two of my favorite Super Bowls ads of all time are from Anheuser-Busch for Budweiser. The commercials feature the Clydesdales and their canine sidekick, Rocky the Dalmatian. A Dalmatian atop of Anheuser-Busch's beer wagon has become an iconic symbol of the brand. Alongside the Clydesdale horses, the Dalmatian is a fixture at public events and in advertisements. Although the horse team was introduced in the 1930s, the Dalmatian was introduced in the 1950s. Historically Dalmatians worked as coach dogs, watching over the beer wagon while drivers made deliveries. The first Super Bowl commercial starring Rocky the Dalmatian aired in 2008. In it, Rocky is training Hank to become part of the Clydesdale team. The content is based on the film, Rocky. The Dalmatian returned again the following year for Super Bowl XLIII. In this commercial, a Budweiser employee is encouraging Rocky to fetch a stick for a treat. After watching him in action, the Clydesdale fetches a tree limb for a treat. Watch here! Just goes to show you that animals really do learn from each other. Although not for Budweiser, who could forget the 2009 Pedigree Super Bowl commercial, Get A Dog! The 30-second spot featured wild animals replacing dogs in everyday life. Super Bowl viewers saw a rhino happy to go on a walk, an ostrich that protected his house from the mailman, a wild boar that enjoyed a car ride with family and lastly, a bull that exhibited little talent for playing frisbee. To watch the ad, click here. Moreover, the cause marketing ad encouraged viewers to adopt one of the millions of dogs in shelters nationwide. Additionally, Pedigree pledged to donate one bowl of food to shelters for every view of their Super Bowl commercial or a watch of one their behind-the-scenes vignettes. At the time, John Anton, the marketing director for Pedigree, believed that the Super Bowl was one way to reach the maximum number of people with the message to help pets in need. Even so, we all know from personal experience that one person or one animal can make difference in the lives others. So, while we have not heard the "pet buzz" about 2011 Super Bowl commercials, make your own impact this weekend by making a donation to a local animal rescue group or shelter. Image Source: Flickr user pulkitsinha Charlotte Reed, a pet trend and lifestyle expert, is the author of "The Miss Fido Manners Complete Book of Dog Etiquette (Adams Media)."