Drunk driving affects more than just the individuals in the car. The consequences are suffered by friends, family and anyone who cares for an individual in the vehicle. Efforts have been made across the country to put an end to drunk driving. High schools and colleges alike have implemented basic schooling on the risks of drunk driving into their curriculum through seminars and required alcohol education courses. Drunk driving is something known to be wrong, yet it is still done. A recent advertisement for Budweiser beer, ironically enough, centers around the idiocy of drunk driving. Despite the lack of relevance to the product its self, the use of ethos and pathos make for a compelling rhetoric. 

This PSA style commercial features Helen Mirren ordering a Budweiser. She then goes into a rant about the stupidity of drunk driving, just after introducing herself as a "notoriously frank and uncensored British woman." While humorous, the advertisement succeeds in proving its point: if you drunk drive, you are an idiot. Mirren refers to those who do drive drunk as "short sighted, utterly useless, oxygen-wasting, human form[s] of pollution." Chances are, more than a few of the viewers have driven under the influence once or twice in their lives and hearing a famous, respected, elderly beautiful woman call them, quite simply, idiots, might make a long lasting impression. Stereotypically, Americans associate Britishness with high class, a notion which Ms. Mirren personifies perfectly. She carries herself with elegance throughout the commercial, wiping her mouth and thanking her waiter for her beer. It sends the message that classy, well mannered, beautiful people not only don't drink and drive, but think those who do are morons. But how does Helen Mirren calling drunk drivers "pillocks" (British slang for a stupid person), entice the audience? The way Mirren carries herself in the clip, and her reputation as an Oscar and Golden Globe winning, timeless A-list actress makes the audience desire to better themselves. She persuades the audience to not drink and drive in a humorous, yet serious manner. Toward the end of her tirade, she touches on the emotions of the viewers, thus tying in pathos to the rhetoric. 

Drunk driving in of itself is already something that tugs on the emotions of many. Mirren pulls the audience back in by saying that by not drunk driving, "your friends and family thank you" as well as the loved ones of other drivers. The viewers then, whether intentionally or unintentionally, begin to think about all those they could potentially hurt by drunk driving. The image of their son, mother, cousin, best friend, or boyfriend having to deal with the consequences of their stupidity begins to form in their thoughts. The viewers begin to feel. One of the most influential things on human emotion is the thought of hurting those we truly love. Without outright saying it, Mirren emphasizes that nothing is worth drunk driving. The effects are too great. 

What is missing from this rhetoric is the use of logos. No where does Mirren talk about Budweiser's seven step brewing process or their seven different types of beers. No where in the commercial is the focus on Budweiser beer. Yes, there is a bottle of it on the table but it is never the center of attention. The focus of the commercial is to simply send a message: don't drink and drive. Nowhere, until the very end, does the commercial persuade the viewer to purchase their product. 

At the end, the screen goes red with the Budweiser logo. Underneath it is written #GiveADamn with small print to the right reading "For every use of #GiveADamn, Budweiser will spend $q on safe ride programs." While this, like other aspects of the advertisement doesn't just state "buy Budweiser beer" it still entices viewers to buy the good. Social media is such a huge part of every day lives. This small message will make the audience want to post a photo to, lets say, Instagram, of themselves and friends with Budweiser using the #GiveADamn as the caption. Not only is this further advertising their product, it is also sending a message that the company cares about drunk driving and is doing something to help. 

What draws the viewer in and clings to their emotions, making them stay intrigued. The lack of logos is not an issue here because on the surface, the main purpose of the advertisement is not to sell the product so facts about how great Budweiser beer is are not needed. 

