Since when does a BEER commercial make us cry? Budweiser's "Friends Are Waiting" ad against drunk driving marking Global Be(er) Responsible Day has utterly melted my heart into a puddle of sticky goo. And it'll do the same to yours when you see it. Why? Because it's about a hot guy and his lovable, loyal dog, that's why.
No, it's more than that. The ad starts when the guy's dog is just a puppy. You see that adorable pup grow and bond with Mr. Cute (to the croonings of songwriter Dan Rodriguez). There is so much sun-lit love here between man and dog, it'll make you swoon. Then one day, Mr. Cute heads out the door with a six-pack of beer and a gang of his friends, telling his dog, "I'll see you later, buddy." What happens next will make your heart stop.
Buddy waits. And waits. And waits. And waits. All night. The sadness, the aching loneliness, the anxiousness. It's almost too much. Where is Mr. Cute? Oh no -- the beer! Did he foolishly drink and drive? Did something terrible happen?!? No, dear God no, this relationship is too beautiful to be broken like that!
The ominous words appear: "For some, the waiting never ended."
See this video on The Stir by CafeMom.
OH MY GOD! Aren't you so relieved when Mr. Cute walks back in the door the next morning? Not nearly as relieved as the dog is, of course. But wow, you really get it, watching this now-viral video, which got a staggering 15 million shares in five days -- and counting.
We all have someone in our lives who wants us to get home safely. Someone who would be devastated if we made a terrible choice that cut us out of their lives forever.
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Sure Mr. Cute made his dog wait up all night, anxious and worried. (Because you can't call your dog from your friend's house.) But it was worth it, to postpone coming home until he was sober enough to drive.
We're so used to seeing horror stories about drunk driving: The tragic car crashes, the debilitating injuries, the deaths. I like this new approach, which reminds us of the people and animals we love, and who love us back.
Could love be stronger than horror in persuading people to drink responsibly? If it looks like this, I think it might be!
What's the #1 thing that gets you to make responsible choices when you drink (if you do drink)?
Image via Budweiser/YouTube