A Rhetorical Analysis Of The Budweiser Super Bowl Commercial

The basis of this assignment was to select an advertisement or commercial and analyze it by demonstrating my understanding of the rhetorical strategies; ethos, pathos, and logos. I choose a Super Bowl commercial put out by Budweiser depicting a feel-good message about drunk driving. The famous beer company traded in the Clydesdale horse for an adorable puppy to play the part of a dog who was left at home while his owner is out partying for the night. In this analysis, I address the intended audiences that the Budweiser commercial was catering to while addressing the subject, language, and predominate images used in this advertisement. I aimed to determine the overall purpose and stating whether or not the commercial was effective in persuading

The commercial draws on the bond between a man and his best friend. It begins in a flashback of the beloved puppy years and proceeds to show the memories the two shared over the years creating their father-son like bond. When the dog’s owner goes out with friends and some Budweiser, he is left waiting for the anticipated arrival of his best friend. Some dogs may end up waiting forever for their owners to come back, but thankfully this pup only had to wait through the night. His owner made the responsible decision to stay at a friend’s house rather than drive under the influence. Needless to say, the folks over at Budweiser have figured out the formula to successfully sell beer, puppy power. The Super Bowl commercial warmed the hearts of all who watched by depicting a feel-good message of responsible drinking through the use of the rhetoric devices, pathos, logos, and ethos. In addition, the language, music, and predominant images presented throughout the commercial effectively conveyed the message and reached its overall