For decades, American football as a spectator sport has united and bonded individuals across the nation as they live vicariously through their favorite NFL team. Since the invention of the television, football has gradually become a massive part of America's entertainment. As the biggest football game of the year, the National Football League's internationally broadcasted annual championship game, the Super Bowl sets the bar as the most viewed sporting event in America with an average of 111.32 million views nationwide from 2011-2015 (Statista). Not only is the super bowl the most viewed sports-event in America it is also in the top 10 highest holidays for beer sales in America; Standing alone as the only one of which is a televised sporting event. (Huffington Post) This well-known beer drinking holiday serves as a prime time for drunk driving, a clear injustice. Budweiser successfully took these statistic into account as the kairos of the anti-drunk driving commercial, "Give a Damn" to reach its targeted audience, potential drunk drivers. Budweiser took advantage of their opportunity to reach the highest number of people in the position to drink and drive possible, in order to persuade them not to through the use of credibility, emotion, and logic.

The commercial takes place in a dim-lighted, classy restaurant, giving a warm atmosphere. The commercial begins with a calming classical melody playing in the background of the scene as Helen Mirren is served her meal of a burger and fries alongside a longneck beer to wash it down. Helen cuts straight to the point by introducing herself as a "notoriously frank and uncensored British lady."(Budweiser) As the music fades out of the background, Helen's voice becomes more clear and emphasized. Speaking not only for herself but also for many others, she addresses their astonishment in the fact that people still drive drunk. Helen goes on to descriptively call out drunk drivers for their lack of common sense and apparent uselessness. The calming, classical melody fades back into the close up scene as Helen changes her tone from stern to flattering, admitting the viewer's likely respectability and encouraging them to continue to be so. After Helen toasted a cheers to the viewers, Budweiser's logo appears next to #GiveADamn, a hash tag that for every use, Busdweiser claimed to spend one dollar on safe ride programs.

It is not until after the commercial ends, when the Budweiser logo appears on the screen that it is apparent to the viewer that the commercial is by Budweiser. It could be said by Budweiser critics that the company only based their commercial around the issue of drunk driving to appeal to viewer's emotions, or to gain a sense of credibility in the public's eye. Yet at around $5 million for a 30 second commercial slot during the big game, it is difficult to presume Budweiser would spend $10 million and more on promoting their product with a commercial that never once verbally talked about or said the company's name. It is evident then that the commercials main objective is to convince it's audience not to drink and drive.

In the beginning of the commercial most viewers are quite confused as to why Helen Mirren is sitting and eating alone in a low-lit restaurant. Nevertheless, her being the world-renowned actress and icon she is, she easily captures the attention of men as well as women. Rotten Tomatoes describes Helen as, "Perhaps the ultimate thinking man's sex symbol, Helen Mirren is also one of the most respected actresses of British stage, screen, and television." (Rotten Tomatoes) Even for those that are not familiar with her acting are naturally entranced by her calming yet sophisticated British accent. Aside from her sophisticated and trustworthy accent, her possession of a wide and unique vocabulary becomes evident to the viewer within the first few seconds of the commercial. Helen mentions, "The collective we are dumbfounded that people still drive drunk."(Budweiser) Although many individuals might be able to infer what "collective we" and "dumbfounded" mean, the percentage of people who use either word on a daily basis are very slim. Even when insulting drunk drivers, describing them as a "Darwin award-deserving selfish coward," (Budweiser) she sounds respectable doing so. Budweiser incorporates the rhetorical proof of ethos into their commercial in their choice of casting a credible, trustworthy and well -respected woman to present the argument. As a well-spoken Rotten Tomatoes describes Helen as, "Perhaps the ultimate thinking man's sex symbol, Helen Mirren is also one of the most respected actresses of British stage, screen, and television." (Rotten Tomatoes) 

As the scene opens, a sweet yet patriotic melody accompanies Helen's introduction. The employment of this melody as well as Helens soothing voice and charming smile appeals to the viewers emotions, making them more understanding and reasonable. Contrasting this vibe, the music fades out to leave only Helen's voice, which turns to a more serious tone as she begins her demoralization of drunk drivers. Contrasting these two emotional aspect of the scene like this arouses shamefulness in those that were planning on drinking and driving, as well as fear in those that know people who will drink and drive. 

After Helen finishes illustrating the stupidity of drunk drivers, her voice changes to an uplifting tone as the music begins playing again. Admiring the viewers' better nature Helen says, "Now, the chances are you're a fun, solid, respectable human being. Don't be a pillock," (Budweiser) Playing on the audiences emotions once again by leaving a sense of pride in the viewers head for not driving drunk. Demonstrating to the audience that choosing not to drive after drinking feels better than driving makes them less likely to choose the latter. Regardless of the individual's motive, the commercial is still successful in its effort to persuade people not to drink and drive.

Although by now it could already be said that Anheuser-Busch's advertisement team demonstrates great understanding of the skill of rhetoric, looking deeper into the thought that is put into this advertisement extrudes even greater expertise. At first analysis one might conclude that although the commercial incorporates ethos and pathos by playing with viewers emotions through a credible individual, the commercial lacks the use of logical to reason with the audience. But is this really the case? Taking a closer look at the circumstances of the time the commercial takes place allows one to see how Budweiser worked within the context of the situation, taking advantage of the target audience's mental state to logically persuade them. Sober, most individuals would not think deeply about the logic of the argument because it is clearly obvious that driving drunk is a terribly foolish and rash thing to do. Yet, when intoxicated, the first part of the human brain that becomes impaired is its ability to make decisions. The brain essentially then creates its own form of simple logic to get by, which is why most people drive drunk in the first place. 

Budweiser conformed to its audiences' inebriated logic by essentially constructing a debate with a potential drunk driver, where they acknowledge the viewers vow to not drive drunk without the viewer even saying anything. Towards the end of the commercial, Helen Mirren says to the audience, "Your friends and family thank you. Other driver's friends and family thank you. Your future-self thanks you." (Budweiser) Budweiser is able to cunningly lay a sense of commitment to not drink and drive on the viewer without any explicit commitment. 

Anheuser-Busch's Budweiser commercial puts an emphasis on just how serious and terrible drunk drivers are. Their use of rhetoric serve as almost a prime example in how to now only utilize rhetorical proofs but to use them in its kairos. At the end of the commercial it is clear, regardless of the viewer, the majority of the population would much rather be a respectable human being, opposed to a drunk driving pillock. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

Ad Age Staff. "Super Bowl 50 Complete Ad Chart: Who Bought Commercials in the Big Game." Advertising Age Special Report Super Bowl RSS. N.p., 07 Feb. 2016. Web. 12 Feb. 2016.

Budweiser. "Budweiser USA: 2016 Super Bowl Commercial | #GiveADamn :60." YouTube. YouTube, 2 Feb. 2016. Web. 11 Feb. 2016.

"Helen Mirren Biography." Rotten Tomatoes. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2016.

Lee, Esther. "Watch Budweiser's 2016 Super Bowl Commercial #GiveADamn (It Gave Us Chills!)." Us Weekly. Us Weekly, 02 Feb. 2016. Web. 12 Feb. 2016.

Polis, Carey. "The Top American Holidays For Beer." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 14 Aug. 2011. Web. 12 Feb. 2016.

"Public vs. Private School: The Judgments Parents Make - CNN.com." CNN. Cable News Network, 9 Apr. 2014. Web. 08 Feb. 2016.

Statista. "Super Bowl TV Viewership 1990-2016 | Statistic." Statista. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2016.

The Carolina Rhetoric. Second Ed. Bauknight, Lee. Meyer, Trevor C: Fountainhead Press, 2016. Print.
