Whatever Happened To The Bud Light Dog Spuds Mackenzie?
Long before Bud Light made America's favorite dude-bro, comedian Shane Gillis, the face of the brand, Spuds Mackenzie held that prestigious title. The beloved bull terrier was selected to represent the brand in 1983, when he debuted on a promotional poster, wearing a fraternity sweatshirt and posing with a goblet of beer. The ad declared him "The Original Party Animal," and people bought in.
As years passed, and as more posters bearing the dog's image were strewn across bars and college campuses, the lore surrounding him grew. This led Bud Light to thrust Spuds into the spotlight with his first TV appearance, and the showing was anything but modest. The commercial in which Spuds played the drums while surrounded by beautiful women, aired during the 1987 Super Bowl, and some fans likely consider it one of the best Super Bowl commercials of all time.
This increased Spuds' demand, leading to a string of commercials that played to the same tune. However, Bud Light retired the mascot in 1989. The dog who portrayed him, a female bull terrier named Honey Tree Evil Eye, or Evie for short, enjoyed four years of retirement with her family in Illinois before succumbing to kidney failure in 1993. She was 10 years old.
Not everyone thought Spuds was a good boy
Though many folks loved Spuds Mackenzie, the character was also the cause of some controversy. In November 1987, the same year as Spuds' iconic Super Bowl commercial, Senator Strom Thurmond called for the end of the pooch's campaign, complaining that the cheeky dog and all of his shenanigans encouraged minors to drink. (Had Shane Gillis been around then, perhaps he could have explained to the senator that no one actually drinks beer in Super Bowl commercials.) By this time, though, Spuds' face could be found on everything — stuffed animals included. Still, the mascot stuck around for a while longer until the campaign came to a natural end in 1989.
For some folks, Spuds was more than just a flash in the pan. He lived on in the heads and hearts of enough people that his image was resurrected 20 years later for a 2017 Super Bowl commercial. Cool as ever, the ghost of Spuds Mackenzie returned to help a lonely guy reconnect with his drinking buddies. It was the brand's way of highlighting human connection, much like when Budweiser brought back its "Whassup" commercial in 2020.