There’s a new anti-drunk driving ad campaign in town, and this one could get a lot of attention. Big beer brand Budweiser and ride sharing company Lyft have partnered to share a responsible drinking message and give away free rides during peak party hours.
The campaign is called “Give A Damn. Don’t Drive Drunk,” and together they will give away up to 80,000 rides during peak times in key states like New York, Florida, and Colorado. Beginning on Friday, September 16th and carrying on through the end of the year, Budweiser will share a code each week on their social media accounts. Followers of Budweiser can then enter that code into their Lyft app and they’ll get a $10 credit on their ride sharing account.
Riders will have to be quick though, because only the first five thousand who claim the codes will be able to use them that weekend to get home safely. They’ll also only be able to use the code during peak drunk driving times of 10 pm and 2 am on Friday and Saturday nights.
Although this is the first pairing of Budweiser and Lyft, creating anti-drunk driving campaigns is nothing new for Budweiser. They and their ad agencies are behind the heart-felt commercial “Someone waits for you at home” and Helen Mirren’s “Give a Damn.” These commercials aired during the Super Bowl for maximum impact and to reach the most potential drunk drivers possible
Ad campaigns like this do more than just send out a anti-drunk driving message: they give a concrete and simple way to say no to drunk driving. Although it’s just in the preliminary stages, the fact that this campaign could stop a lot of drunk drivers might be enough encouragement for other alcohol companies to get on board. It won’t stop everyone, but it’s a great step in the right direction as we approach the holiday season.