Dear Budweiser,
In regards to your 2016 Super Bowl Ad, you know, the one that stars a frank Helen Mirren, I believe you have missed the point with your misguided attempt to stop people from drunk driving.
First, I would like to applaud your efforts for wanting to stop drunk driving. Your $1 promise for every use of #Giveadamn on Super Bowl Sunday will surely support the decline in drunk driving.
Your Standwithbud.com site, interesting name, I do hope people use this and I hope it lasts longer than Super Bowl Sunday.
However, I would like to get to the point. I understand your stance, a "let me be frank, no nonsense" approach. But you missed a big opportunity here. I am sad you have made the focus of this ad more about shaming than educating.
I will mention the most unfortunate fortunate thing that happened to me on Thursday, March 19, 2015. I was arrested for DWI. You must know, I do not need you, an alcohol company, to tell me that my decision was dumb. I know that. Since this incident, I've been amazed to find out just how many other people there are out there, people like me, that have this on their record. I believe you blew this opportunity to educate and inform the public, that this is a crime that has no economic level, no race, no color, no religion, or gender. Do not tell me I am useless because of my mistake, I already know I have a mark on my record for the rest of my life.
With this opportunity, talk about people like me; a 27 year old with a degree, working 8-5, currently seeking their Masters. This is not something that happens to a useless individual. This happens to your mother, your sister, your cousin, and your best friend. Show me someone like me. Someone who paid $5000 for a lawyer, $275 at the impound lot, spent 17 hours in a holding cell, $400 for a DWI Education course, 6 months of breathalyzer tests, and a $1200 fine. Educate people, that you could be like me, paying the county along with your student loans and your newly increased car insurance, up by 50%. Mind you I don't even have a speeding ticket in my name.
I know what I did was dumb, but I have learned tremendously from this experience.
Why am I so upset?
I have a degree in Advertising so I enjoy watching commercials then commenting on whether an ad was effective or not.
This was not.
Show me someone like me, tell your audience that your best friend's father was in an accident with a drunk driver, and now he cries every night because of the pain he is in.
With this platform you have, you can do so much and you choose to shame and belittle roughly 4 million adults in the US. (rita.dot.gov)
Education is the best form of prevention.
