- The ‘Pegasus’ Moment: In the most talked-about ad of Super Bowl LX, a massive Clydesdale leaps over a log just as a bald eagle unfurls its wings behind him — creating a “spine-tingling” mythical silhouette.
- The Name You Didn’t Know: While the world knows Lincoln the eagle, his four-legged co-star is a powerhouse named Zeus, one of Budweiser’s elite hitch horses.
- Real Magic, No CGI: Director Henry-Alex Rubin insists the “mind-blowing” shot was 100% real, featuring the 28-year-old rescued eagle launching off Zeus’s back.
- A 150-Year Toast: The “American Icons” ad celebrates Budweiser’s 150th anniversary and the U.S. 250th birthday, set to the “unforgettable” soaring solo of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Free Bird.
You might have known Lincoln — the Philadelphia Eagles mascot who’s been soaring over stadiums for two seasons — but the real “King of the Ranch” in Budweiser’s viral “American Icons” commercial is Zeus.
While everyone was busy wiping away “sun in their eyes” (not tears!) during that final, slow-motion leap, the real story is the “unbreakable bond” between the 2,000-pound Clydesdale and the bird who quite literally used him as a runway. Zeus, a bay-colored beauty with those signature white “feathers,” wasn’t just any horse; he was hand-picked for his “calm-under-fire” temperament to handle a 6-foot wingspan flapping right behind his ears.
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THE MAKING OF A MYTH: ZEUS & LINCOLN
| The Icon | The Role | The Secret History |
| ZEUS | The “Pegasus” Horse | A prize-winning Clydesdale from Warm Springs Ranch with a “heart of gold.” |
| LINCOLN | The Wingman | A 28-year-old rescue from the American Eagle Foundation who “thinks he’s human.” |
| BRIAN FRANSEN | The Witness | A real-life Budweiser barley farmer who provided the “authentic” emotional payoff. |
A ‘FREE BIRD’ FINALE
The commercial, which has already been hailed as the “greatest of the decade,” tracks the duo from their first meeting — where a young Zeus (played by a foal) shelters a baby Lincoln from a storm — to their “triumphant” adult reunion. When the guitar solo of Free Bird hits its peak, Zeus gallops into history, leaping a fallen log while Lincoln takes flight from his back.
“It was a gamble,” insiders say. “You’re putting an apex predator on the back of a draft horse. But Zeus didn’t flinch. He knew it was his time to shine.”
And while the internet is debating if those were “real tears” on the farmers’ faces, one thing is certain: Zeus and Lincoln have officially dethroned the “Puppy Love” dog as America’s favorite animal duo.