The fiftieth Super Bowl yet again delighted viewers with funny, thoughtful, and overall entertaining commercials. One of the more thought provoking ads came from Budweiser, with their "Simply Put" advertisement. Using pathos and ethos, the ad addressed a serious issue: drunk driving.

The "Simply Put" commercial's goal is to stop drunk driving, while still promoting beer. Drunk driving kills thousands every year, and is an especially relevant problem during times such as the Super Bowl. The ad opens with a woman in a bar booth. The woman is Helen Mirren, a British actress known for her cutting accent and uncensored opinions. She addresses the viewers and speaks about the dangers of drunk driving. Instead of listing facts, she uses her well known accent to verbally assault anyone who drives drunk. Mirren uses many colorful ways to attack inebriated drivers. The way she describes people who drive under the influence is funny, yet serious: "If you drive drunk, you are a short-sighted, utterly useless, oxygen wasting, human form of pollution". Using her infamous voice, she verbally cuts apart anyone who considers or goes through with drunk driving.

The ethos of Budweiser's commercial is evident before the commercial even starts. The Super Bowl is one of the most watched televised events in the world. Companies make huge amounts of money from the result of millions of people watching their ads. Because of this, companies put out the best commercials their marketing and advertisement teams can come up with. Many people pay just as much attention to the ads as they do to the game. They know that before the ads are even aired, they are going to be entertaining, much more so than the average commercial seen on television. Ethos is also clearly evident at the start of the commercial. Mirren introduces herself, and explains who she is and what she is known for. Right off the bat she addresses her credibility and makes sure people know that she is someone to be listened to. Ethos also comes in to play at the end of the advertisement. Before the ad ends, Budweiser announces that for every #giveadamm that is tweeted or used on social media, they will give one dollar to safe ride programs. This simple yet powerful announcement shows viewers how serious Budweiser is about stopping drunk driving. Their serious attitude towards the issue they are talking about ups the credibility of their mission considerably, as people know that the ad is not just for entertainment.

Helen Mirren uses pathos to pull at the heart of the viewers. After using her infamous voice to cut down drunk drivers, she tells her audience that if they do not drunk drive, "your friends and family thank you, the friends and family of other drivers thank you, your future self thanks you". Many people know someone, either directly or indirectly, who has been injured or killed in a drun-driving accident. When Mirren talks about how everyone will thank you for not driving intoxicated, it forces the viewers to think about all the people that will be affected if an accident were to occur. The viewers feel the emotion that Mirren puts into her voice, and this is what makes the ad not just entertaining, but thought provoking. Ads that are thought provoking are ads that stay in the minds of the consumer, and are ads that make corporations the most money.

Logos is not present in the "Simply Put" ad like pathos and ethos are. Helen Mirren does not need logos to make her claim successful. The pathos and ethos already take care of keeping the attention of the viewer, and getting the message across. Instead of presenting facts and taking a logical approach like other commercials may have done, Budweiser's commercial uses humor, emotion, and Mirren's credibility to impact the audience. Because Mirren and Budweiser are not trying to make an argument, they do not utilize logos nearly as much as they do pathos and ethos.

The "Simply Put" ad is an example of what can be considered an excellently designed advertisement. Using pathos and ethos to grab and hold on to the attention of the viewers, the commercial subtly promotes the product: Budweiser beer, while also berating drunk drivers. The opening statement of the ad draws attention to the beer as a waiter delivers the drink to Mirren. The first words out of her mouth are: "Oh, my beer! Lovely". The ending statement of the ad also subtly promotes the beer, as Mirren picks up the brew and exclaims: "Cheers!  ... Ice cold!" The ad makes sure not to focus its attention on selling beer, but makes sure that just enough subtle marketing is included that the viewer notices.

Budweiser's "Simply Put" commercial, simply put, does a great job at using pathos and ethos to sell beer, and stop drunk driving. The credibility is clearly evident from the beginning of the ad, and Helen Mirren's voice is full of emotion, which in turn, brings emotions out of the viewer. Although logos is not evident, this does not hurt the advertisement. The absence of logos is unique, and this is why the ad is successful.

