A Rhetorical Analysis Of Budweiser's 2014 Super Bowl

Every 51 minutes in America, someone is killed in a drunk driving car accident; This adds up to 27 people every day. This statistic goes to show that people around us are either not educated about how dangerous driving intoxicated really is or that they are simply too arrogant to do anything about it. During the 2014 Super Bowl, Budweiser Brewing Company tried to persuade its audience to drink responsibly by evoking emotions using the symbolism of the relationship between a man and his dog when he doesn’t come home after a night of drinking.
Being the nation’s fourth largest beer producing brewing company in the United States, Budweiser is known for their famous commercials. As part of its Global Be(er) Responsible Day campaign, a 60-second

commercial titled, “Friends Are Waiting,” was released. Recognized before for using heartwarming animals in previous ads, such as, Clydesdales horses, this company obviously knows how to create an emotional appeal that grabs the audience’s attention. Logos plays into effects after seeing how many people saw this advertisement. Within a week of the air date, this video had gone viral with more than 13 million views and although Budweiser always attracts viewers who drink their product, they dug even deeper and drew in animal lovers with this commercial. The author reflects the idea that even though people often feel like their
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only option is to drive home intoxicated, there is always another choice.

Luke, the star of the commercial, is seen at the end of the ad greeting his dog explaining to him that he didn’t feel safe driving home after drinking, so he simply stayed the night with his friend. People know that they shouldn’t drink and drive, but they never think of what the outcome of their choice will be. Budweiser tries to emphasize that through the dog waiting up all night for his owner, him wining and pacing back and forth, this is what it’s like for our family members or loved ones left waiting up on us. The author tries to show you that if you choose to not drink responsibly, sometimes their wait never

ends.
This ad was aired at a period when millions of viewers were watching the Super Bowl in 2014 and were probably drinking.

Airing when it did, Budweiser may have been trying to target those drinking that day to ensure they didn’t get behind the wheel after celebrating the game. The audience of this commercial sees a strong bond between a man and his dog that takes place in locations emphasizing the connection between the two, such as, them growing up together, riding in a car, sleeping in the same bed, etc. After telling his dog he’ll be back and leaving with a group of friends, Buddy is left waiting up all night. In the morning when Luke finally returns, he ensures his dog that he’s fine; he felt safer staying overnight somewhere rather than driving home drunk. Budweiser is not just trying to sell their product to the consumers watching their commercial, but instead, they are trying to safeguard that those drinking are drinking responsibly. Ethos is shown when Budweiser makes it known that they care about what happens to their consumers other than just getting their money. They care about the well-being and safety of those drinking their beer. Although this ad did reach a lot of people, those who don’t drink alcohol or beer would have been excluded. They wouldn’t have had a desire to

watch
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the commercial since they don’t purchase Budweiser products. Someone who has had a loved one die or get critically injured in a drunk driving accident may have found this advertisement hard to watch and it would most likely evoke emotions through pathos that ties to that event in their life, but I don’t think anyone would find it offensive. If anything, these viewers would appreciate the purpose of this ad to help prevent future accidents that can save someone else’s loved one from encountering the same thing.
By releasing this commercial, I feel as if Budweiser accomplished its goal of spreading awareness for responsible drinking. They did a good job of finding something appealing, like man’s best friend, to call attention to a much bigger meaning. The theme of their advertisement would be that if you’re going to drink, always have a backup plan of how you’re getting home. Don’t put your life or other lives of those out of the road in danger because there is always another option. I don’t think there is more than one interpretation in this circumstance. Budweiser makes it clear what their main purpose is for releasing this video. The song playing in the background adds to the title of the commercial, “Friends Are Waiting,” as it refers to someone coming home. This helps create a heart-warming, yet serious tone throughout the ad. I felt the most effective part of the text was when the message “Make a plan to make it home, you friends are counting on you,” popped up. That sentence makes the viewers take things into their own perspective by thinking about what it would be like for their friends if they didn’t come home one night. This commercial was emotionally powerful which was its greatest strongpoint. By creating a scene that causes attachment and that grabs your attention, it made it easier to get the message across. Budweiser’s credibility is not questionable; This is one of the many commercials they have released about drinking and driving that has skyrocketed with views.
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It seems like it would be common sense that there is always an alternate plan when it comes to drinking and driving, but instead of focusing on logistics, in the 2014 Super Bowl commercial, “Friends Are Waiting,” Budweiser focuses on an emotional appeal to promote responsible drinking. They effectively reflect on how important drinking responsibly is by portraying what it would be like for your loved ones if you never made it home one day.