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Budweiser's Father's Day ad celebrating stepfathers is bringing people to tears

The beer maker pays tribute to stepdads who have really "stepped up" over the years.
Budweiser | For The Fathers Who Stepped Up
Budweiser | For The Fathers Who Stepped UpYouTube
/ Source: TODAY

On Sunday, people will be celebrating fathers across the country with everything from handmade coupon books and cards to discounts and freebies at restaurants.

But a dad isn't just someone who happens to be a blood relative. There are all kinds of dads and father figures in the world.

Budweiser is ensuring that stepdads are not forgotten this Father's Day with the release of a new short film sharing the true stories of stepchildren who surprised their stepdads by officially removing "step" from their title and asked to be legally adopted.

“On a day when the world celebrates fathers, Budweiser wants to shine an unexpected light on fatherhood. That’s why this Father’s Day, Budweiser is toasting stepfathers who love their stepchildren like their own,” Monica Rustgi, vice president of marketing for Budweiser, told TODAY Food by email.

In the video, three grown-up stepchildren share how, years ago, they weren't too sure about the new man in their lives, but eventually accepted and grew to love them more than they could have ever imagined.

One man featured named Victor, says, "I didn't really have like a close relationship with my like actual dad, so when I met Mark, I was like, 'Oh, this is like what a dad is.'"

His stepdad Mark says, "Watching Victor grow, watching the person that he's become has been amazing, and to know that maybe I've had a little bit of influence on that has been awesome."

Another woman in the short spot says that she used to fantasize that her mom and biological father would get back together. She admits that she "was not having it" when Randall, her stepdad, came into the picture initially.

However, the fantasy of her parents getting back together faded with time and her love for Randall only grew. "Everything that my actual biological father promised that he would do, you actually came through and did," she tells him in the film.

At the end of the nearly four-minute spot, each stepchild presents their stepdad with adoption papers and tearfully asks the father figure in their lives to make his role official.

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One father playfully — and tearfully — asks his daughter if her mom knew about this before giving her a big hug.

The ad is winning a lot of praise across social media, with many admitting it brought them to tears:

The spot, which was posted Wednesday, had already racked up more than 330,000 views on YouTube alone by Thursday afternoon.

Budweiser also wants to hear more stories from the public about a father figure they know who "stepped up." For every comment the film receives across social media through June 16, the company has pledged to donate $1 to the Stepfamily Foundation, a nonprofit that supports blended families. Budweiser will donate up to $10,000 total.

This isn't the first time the clever marketing folks at Budweiser have created a touching ad. They are, of course, known for their famous Clydesdale horses — who sometimes appear with puppies! — and recently released an ad showing how basketball star Dwayne Wade, who retired this year, touched many people's lives.

Other touching ads about fatherhood in recent years include this Windex ad about a father watching his daughter grow up and this Dove ad where men find out they're going to become fathers for the first time.

To all the stepdads out there, this Bud's for you. Have a happy Father's Day!