#FriendsAreWaiting

Every year thousands of people lose their lives to drunk driving accidents, whether they are the ones driving under the influence or just happen to get in the way of someone who was careless enough to dive under the influence. While most beer companies try to provide warning on their labels to prevent serious injury or death, simple labels just do not cut it. 

One beer company went above ad beyond in their attempts to address the serious issue of drunk driving through their advertising campaign, "Friends are Waiting". In the summer of 2013, Budweiser aired a commercial that plunged straight into the hearts of its viewers. 

Even though the dog's owner makes it home safe the next day, those few second we had to wait were heart breaking as we watched the dog whimper in fear of what happened to his best friend. It forced viewers to think of the people we would be leaving if we chose to drive under the influence. The dog is a representation of our parents, siblings, significant other, and even our kids. The choice of using a dog created an intense amount of sympathy, as the poor animal would never understand why his owner never came home. 

Budweiser's Friends are Waiting commercial shows their investment in not just their own consumers, but the well being of all people. Their message is simple, direct, and impactful: Always make a plan to get home; your friends are waiting.