What Happened To The Iconic Budweiser Frogs?

Featured in Mashed's list of the best Budweiser Super Bowl commercials (along with ads showcasing galloping Clydesdales and a lively phone conversation between friends), the Budweiser frogs were part of a wildly popular '90s ad campaign that had more plot twists and turns than a daytime soap opera. The three frogs, cutely named Bud, Weis, and Er (which was also their catchphrase), went through lots of trials and tribulations during their advertising run, from getting caught in an ice storm to surviving multiple assassination attempts perpetrated by a vengeful lizard named Louie — who was aggrieved that the frogs were chosen to star in the commercials instead of him. Louie eventually got his break, replacing Weis.

Like all good things, the Budweiser frogs' reign over the TV landscape came to an end in 1999. While the frogs (and Budweiser) were criticized for making beer more attractive to children, that wasn't the reason for their demise. According to Bob Lachky, then vice president of brand management at Budweiser's parent company, Anheuser-Busch, most of the beer company's mascots had a lifespan of about two years before new advertising concepts were pursued. News of their "firing" was delivered courtesy of yet another Budweiser TV ad in which Louie explained that they were all getting the axe. 

While it's often said that all Budweiser tastes the same, a claim that can be attributed to the fact that the same strain of yeast has been continually used in the brew since the 1800s, the company definitely preferred an innovative approach to its advertising. Budweiser's ad campaign featuring the beer-loving frogs was developed by D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles, an ad agency with roots going all the way back to the early 1900s. As for the frogs, they were designed and constructed at the studio of legendary special effects artist Stan Winston, who created effects for movies like "Jurassic Park," "Aliens," and the "Terminator" franchise. Additionally, the first Budweiser frogs ad was directed by Gore Verbinski, who went on to win an Oscar for best animated feature for his film "Rango." With such impressive pedigrees, it's no surprise that Budweiser's ad campaign was such a huge success. 

Although the hapless amphibians did pop up in a British Bud Light ad in 2017 (albeit in CGI form), there are no official plans to have them return in the U.S. There's no telling what 2025 Super Bowl ads may bring, but you can relive the glory of victory and the agony of defeat with our ranking of the best and worst Super Bowl beer commercials of all time, from Samuel Adams's Bostonian cousins spot to Stella Artois' 2011 ad starring Adrian Brody.