ST. LOUIS -- Budweiser has launched its first-ever Twitter account, www.twitter.com/budweiser.
The brand marked the occasion by tweeting a photo of a member of the elite Budweiser Clydesdales Class of 2013, a 150-pound foal born the morning of Jan. 16. It was the brand's first-ever Tweet.
Using #clydesdales, Budweiser also is asking Twitter followers of @Budweiser and Facebook friends to help name the young equine star, who will be seen by more than an estimated 110 million viewers on Sunday during Super Bowl XLVII.
"This newest member of the Budweiser Clydesdale family was seven days old on the day this part of the Super Bowl commercial was filmed," said Jeff Knapper, general manager of Clydesdale operations. "A star was truly born on Jan. 16."
More than 30 baby Clydesdales are expected to be born this year at the 300-acre Warm Springs Ranch, the state-of-the-art breeding facility for the Budweiser Clydesdales in Boonville, Mo.
Both mother, seven-year-old Darla, and baby are doing well, said John Soto, supervisor of the breeding operations at Warm Springs Ranch. "We have had two foals born so far this year and they're both doing very well."
Anheuser-Busch has about 200 Clydesdales in its herd, with about half of them at Warm Springs Ranch.
"We take great pride in each and every one of our horses, and Warm Springs Ranch is a great home," Knapper said. "The Budweiser Clydesdales are the envy of the equine world. We treat them like royalty, and they are among the best-cared-for animals in the world."
The Clydesdales celebrate a major milestone in 2013--the 80th anniversary of their association with Anheuser-Busch. The Budweiser Clydesdales have been an integral part of Anheuser-Busch's heritage since April 7, 1933. They were formally introduced to celebrate the repeal of Prohibition for beer.
Warm Springs Ranch features a 25,000-square-foot breeding barn with a veterinary lab and 10 pastures, each with a customized, walk-in shelter and free-flowing water dispensers. The farm sits on 300-plus acres of land, allowing the Clydesdales plenty of room to exercise and roam.
Dedicated staff is on site around the clock to ensure the baby Clydesdales are welcomed into the world in comfort and safety. Those Clydesdales born with the proper markings for a Budweiser Clydesdale--a bay coat, a blaze of white on the face, four white stocking feet, and a black mane and tail--have a future spot on one of the traveling hitches.
On Super Bowl Sunday on Feb. 3, the Budweiser Clydesdales will appear in a new 60-second spot, "Brotherhood," which chronicles the bond a Clydesdale foal shares with his trainer. Partially shot at Warm Springs Ranch, "Brotherhood" will take the Clydesdales advertising into new territory by providing a new level of access to their early years.
This is the Clydesdale's 23rd Super Bowl spot since first appearing in a big game spot in 1986.
In addition to the baby foal born this month that will appear in the spot, other young Clydesdales, including an 8-month-old and a 2-year-old, will be featured, in addition to a full hitch of eight adult horses.
Budweiser's Twitter channel debuts after the social media platform introduced age verification, allowing the beer to restrict its tweets to users 21 and older.
Based in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch brews Budweiser and Bud Light, among other brands. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the leading global brewer, and continues to operate under the Anheuser-Busch name and logo.
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