Spuds MacKenzie: What Happened To The Iconic Bud Light Mascot?

Bud Light has taken some big swings with advertisements in the past and not all of them have been major successes. Recently, Bud Light lost its title of top-selling beer in America. Back in 1987, however, the brand attempted to win people's hearts by introducing an adorable bull terrier mascot named Spuds MacKenzie in a Super Bowl commercial. 

The cool canine debuted on screens sitting shotgun in a Cadillac, then later playing the drums while a group of "Spudettes" sang all about how the canine's love for Bud Light. The bull terrier was often seen wearing Hawaiian shirts or sunglasses, and always promoting a glass of Bud Light. Spuds MacKenzie even made an appearance on "Live with Dick Clark," where the Spudettes tried to dispel rumors that the pup was a girl. 

With all of the publicity, the pooch became massively popular and was later put on promotional ads, posters, and merchandise. But unless you were a fan of Bud Light in the last 80s, you likely missed out on the Spuds MacKenzie craze. Like many other Bud Light ads, concerned parents and critics had issues with ads implying that the cute dog enjoyed drinking alcohol.

Bud Light may not be one of the healthiest beers you can drink, but at least its mascot was cute. Sadly for Spuds Mackenzie, not everyone got a kick out of a bull terrier in sunglasses pouring beer from the tap. In 1987, Republican Senator Strom Thurmond raised concerns about the messages that the dog was sending to children about alcohol consumption. Thurmond once took to the Senate floor with a Spuds MacKenzie plush in hand to discuss how using a pooch to pique the interest of consumers inadvertently led to young children and teens idolizing the mascot and promoting drinking culture. 

Parents and teachers echoed these concerns — many who grew up during the height of Spuds' fame may remember being banned from wearing the original party animal's merch due to the beer promotion. Bud Light retired the bull terrier in 1989, although the company claimed it was due to a creative pivot and not a response to any backlash. 

While the persona of Spuds MacKenzie was depicted as a wild party animal, the real-life dog actor Honey Tree Evil Eye was a true professional, who passed away in 1993. However, this didn't stop Bud Light from attempting to revive its infamous mascot nearly 25 years later.

While there are interesting things to know before you drink Bud Light, when you drink it with friends, apparently the ghost of Spuds MacKenzie can rest easy. At least, that's what he said in the company's 2017 Super Bowl ad when the beer revived the spirit of its adorable mascot — literally. While Bud Light may have thought that the image of a blue-glowing dog with a deep voice floating around and encouraging friends to come together over a case of Bud Light was a good idea, the message didn't land well with everyone.

Bud Light was later sued over the use of the mascot by Spuds Ventures LLC, a firm that revitalizes old brand names and characters. Spuds Ventures obtained rights to the Spuds MacKenzie name and likeness just 12 days before the commercial aired, after purchasing the Spuds MacKenzie website domain in 2013 and using the brand on various pet supply products. The firm claimed that Bud Light did not ask for permission or provide compensation before running the ad. While Bud Light initially disputed these claims, the companies settled and haven't used the mascot since.