Annotated Bibliography

Abstract
For my research project, I am studying how the evolution of Super Bowl Budweiser commercials
over the past 40 years demonstrates that the company has changed its image from a strong,
masculine company to one of sensitivity and friendship. The research questions I am asking
include: What were the social norms in America during certain eras? What is the typical audience
of the Super Bowl and how has it changed? What is the history and background of Budweiser?
What are the themes/messages of each Budweiser commercial, and what are the differences
between them? What are the self-images Budweiser tries to portray in its commercials? These
questions will help me dig deep into the changes that the company has made in relation to
America. The scope that I want to use is one that looks at the changes in what it means to be
American over the years and relate that to the shifting self-image of Budweiser.
Budweiser USA: #BestBuds | 2015 Budweiser Super Bowl Commercial Lost Dog. Dir. Jake
Scott. Perf. Don Jeanes. YouTube. Budweiser, 28 Jan. 2015. Web. 11 Nov. 2015.
This commercial, which aired during the 2015 Super Bowl, was directed by Jake Scott. Scott is
an English film director who primarily works with music videos. His commercial Lost Dog
was intended to be memorable for all of the viewers of the Super Bowl. Specifically, this
commercial pulls at the heartstrings of women more so than men. The context of this commercial
is very emotional and warming, which seems to be one of the best ways of persuasion. The
overall purpose of the work was to appeal to and convince its viewers that Budweiser is a beer
with good morals. This would inherently lead to more sales. This commercial relates heavily to
other Budweiser Super Bowl commercials in the past three years. They all include horses and
puppies as comrades. On the other hand, this commercial differs from those before the past three
years because the methods for appeal dealt with masculinity more so than cute animals. Overall,
this source will prove to be one my most useful ones in proving that Budweiser has shifted into a
new direction of sensitivity.
Garis, Mary Grace. "The Budweiser Super Bowl Ad's Creative Evolution Examined: Where Did
The Adorable Puppy Ad Come From?" Bustle. N.p., 1 Feb. 2015. Web. 10 Nov. 2015.
Mary Grace Garis, an entertainment writer and columnist graduating from Rutgers University,
takes a look at the evolution of Budweiser commercials during the Super Bowl over the last four
decades in her article. She directs this work to those that are have most likely been influenced by
the recent, sensitive Budweiser commercials in the last three years. Grace takes the approach as
somewhat of a scientist, breaking down the last four decades into four different eras. With the
purpose of convincing her audience that Budweiser has changed its self- image, Grace says that
it originally targeted the male demographic, but now targets the modern, co-ed demographic.
This source connects to practically every source I have. It discusses what Budweiser was like in
the past, and explains what is has become. I will use this source as the primary evidence to
demonstrate the transition that Budweiser has made.

Luckerson, Victor. "This Was The Biggest Ad Of The Super Bowl." Time.Com (2015): N.PAG.
Academic Search Premier. Web. 9 Nov. 2015.
Luckerson, a writer for Time Magazine, analyzes in this short article the effectiveness of the
Budweiser ad titled Lost Dog. This article is very much like the one of Laura Stampler in that
they both tell of the sensitivity and warmth that the commercial provides the audience with.
However, this article is slightly more statistical with the commercials success. Luckerson is
specifically writing to those that were influenced by the commercial while also being one source
to inform Budweiser on their success. The authors tone in the article seems to be almost
awestruck by the commercial. The overall argument being made in it is that the companys new
strategy of appealing to its audience through sensitivity is much different than its past immature
commercials of men screaming Whaassuuuppp. Overall, this source will prove useful to me
primarily in demonstrating how Budweiser has become a company whose image is no longer
based off of masculinity.
Pendergast, Tom, and Sara Pendergast. "Budweiser." St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture.
Vol. 1. Detroit: St. James, 2000. 380-81. Print.
Written by Tom and Sara Pendergast, this encyclopedia provides the significant history and
background information on Budweiser. It discusses the introduction of Budweisers famous
Clydesdales in 1933 and the reason for changes in advertising strategies. The intended audience
of this source is those that are looking to gain knowledge on popular culture in America today.
The authors write very informatively seeing as it is an encyclopedia. The purpose of the specific
pages that I am using is to give background information and history. There is an absence of
arguments. This encyclopedia falls hand in hand with my other print source on United States
brewing industries. They are both similar in the sense that they give me historical information
and evidence in a non-persuasive manner. For this same reason, this source differs from my
commercial sources. Overall, the information I gather from this source will work its way into my
introduction paragraph.
Stampler, Laura. "BudweiserS Super Bowl Ad About A Lost Puppy Is An Emotional Roller
Coaster." Time.Com (2015): N.PAG. Academic Search Premier. Web. 9 Nov. 2015.
This article written by Laura Stampler, a freelance writer who has written for the Huffington Post
and Time Magazine, analyzes the success of the new 2015 Lost Dog Budweiser commercial.
She addresses those who may have missed the commercial, informing them of the power that it
had on its audience. The argument being made by this source is the sensitivity present within the
Super Bowl advertisement, which supports my own argument that Budweiser is shifting away
from its appeal to specifically men. She discusses the strategies used in the commercial, such as
the cute puppies and the emotional music to explain this sense of warmth. Relating to another
one of my sources, this one echoes the claim made by Victor Luckerson that the inclusion of cute
animals in its commercials are the reason for Budweisers successful advertising. I believe that
this source will be useful coinciding with my analysis of the Lost Dog commercial itself.

Tremblay, Victor J., and Carol Horton. Tremblay. "Strategic Behavior: Price, Advertising,
Merger, and Other Strategies." The U.S. Brewing Industry: Data and Economic Analysis.
Cambridge, MA: MIT, 2005. 159-207. Print.
The chapter of this book, written by Victory and Carol Tremblay, discusses the strategies and
tendencies that brewing companies tend to use for efficient advertising. Victor and Carol are both
professors in economics at Oregon State University. The intended audience of this chapter could
possibly be a new brewing company looking for ways to improve their ways of advertising along
with students who wish to learn more about effective advertising. The authors take an
informational, unbiased approach to their writing in this book. The intended purpose of this book
is to inform. The information presented includes the real tactics that Budweiser has used over the
years. Some of these are presenting itself as a beer that is tough, grizzled, and blue collared
and using humor and pets as a means of persuasion in their commercials. This source adds
another dimension to my paper because it contributes solid evidence about the strategies of
Budweiser. Using purely the commercials, I would be left to persuade through interpretation.
Overall, the chapter of this book will provide me with not only background information on
Budweiser, but it will also give me strong evidence backing up the messages portrayed in the
Budweiser commercials.