If any brand knows how to create viral videos, it’s Budweiser. Last year, Budweiser’s Super Bowl ad “Puppy
Love” was the most-watched Super Bowl ad of 2014 and has generated almost 52
million YouTube views to date. This go
round, the brand is producing content to support a rather sensitive and
emotional topic: drinking and driving. Its
latest ad, titled “Friends are Waiting,” promotes responsible drinking in honor
of Global Be Responsible Day (re-titled “Global Be(er) Responsible Day by Budweiser). The 60 second spot stars a man named Luke and
his yellow Labrador retriever Cooper.
The ad follows their friendship over the years and cuts to a recent
day when Cooper is left home while Luke heads out with his friends (holding
Budweiser). We see Cooper waiting around
for his owner to return and eventually he does, but Budweiser leaves us with
words to remember:
For some, the waiting never ends.
But we can change that.
Make a plan to make it home.
Your friends are counting on you.
The video left me in tears.
This is a topic that has been overdone in the media and it’s always
portrayed in the same violent gruesome way (most likely with a car getting into a horrible
accident). Budweiser managed to capitalize
on Global Responsible Day by releasing a fresh take on the issue of drinking
and driving.
Budweiser has always done a great job of marketing to its
fan base and always manages to create powerful advertisements that generate
conversation and sharing. It’s no
surprise that this video has received 6 million plus videos since its upload on
Friday. I am not a Budweiser drinker (or
beer drinker for that matter), but it’s because of videos like this these, that
I would consider Budweiser. They manage
to always serve relevant content that tugs at the heart strings of the viewer
and gets them to spread the word. Now
that’s world-class marketing.
Video: Budweiser's "Friends are Waiting".
Warning, you may cry.
No comments:
Post a Comment