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{{Short description|Dog mascot of Bud Light beer}}
] ]
⚫ '''Spuds MacKenzie''' ("The Original Party Animal"<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.comedyhistory101.com/comedy-history-101/2020/3/11/history-of-spuds-mackenzie-the-original-party-animal | title=History of Spuds MacKenzie: The Original Party Animal | date=11 March 2020 }}</ref>) is a fictional ] dog character used for an extensive advertising campaign marketing ] beer in the late 1980s. The Spuds MacKenzie ] and campaign was the idea of a 23-year-old art director, Jon Moore. At the time, he was working at Needham, Harper, and Steers, a ] advertising agency. The dog first showed up in a Bud Light ] ad in 1987.<ref name="pet">{{cite web|url=http://www.bullterrierdallas.com/FamousBullies/spudgirl.htm |title=Spuds McKenzie: Official Party Animal |publisher=Bull Terrier Club of Dallas |accessdate=2012-11-23}}</ref>


The dog was portrayed by a female bull terrier named '''Honey Tree Evil Eye''',<ref>{{cite web |last1=Beachamp |first1=Rick |title=Dog and Kennel Magazine |url=http://www.petpublishing.com/dogken/breeds/bullterr.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111027212145/http://www.petpublishing.com/dogken/breeds/bullterr.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 October 2011 |accessdate=13 December 2018 |date=27 October 2011}}</ref> or Evie for short. Evie was from ], and lived in ], with her owner's family, where she died in 1993.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Spuds MacKenzie is dead|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1993/10/06/Spuds-MacKenzie-is-dead/6095749880000/|access-date=2020-06-02|website=UPI|language=en}}</ref> Anheuser-Busch sponsored many dogs from the kennel in ] where Evie was born.<ref name="HesAGirl"/>
⚫ '''Spuds MacKenzie''' was a fictional dog character created for use in an advertising campaign marketing ] beer in the late 1980s. The Spuds MacKenzie ] and campaign were created by ] marketing executive ].<ref>http://www.siue.edu/business/alumni/meyers.shtml</ref><ref>Southern Illinois University School Of Business</ref> The dog first showed up in a Bud Light ] ad in 1987.<ref name="pet">{{cite web|url=http://www.bullterrierdallas.com/FamousBullies/spudgirl.htm |title=Spuds McKenzie: Official Party Animal |publisher=Bull Terrier Club of Dallas |accessdate=2012-11-23}}</ref> During the height of his popularity, large amounts of Spuds merchandise was available, such as ]s and ]s.


The dog, a ], existed not without his share of ]. Shortly after Spuds' rise to fame it was learned that the dog, who was portrayed as male in the commercials, was actually female.<ref>{{cite web|author=Eric Zorn |url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1987-09-13/news/8703090112_1_jackie-oles-honey-tree-evil-eye-spuds-mackenzie |title=Eric Zorn. Spuds Is A Dud As A Party Guy -he`s A Girl. Chicago Tribune. (Posted: September 13, 1987) |publisher=Articles.chicagotribune.com |date=1987-09-13 |accessdate=2012-10-29}}</ref> The ads were also the subject of attacks and calls for censorship by ]-oriented groups. Soon after the ads were first aired in 1987, Senator ] began his own media campaign, claiming that the beer maker was using Spuds to appeal to children for the purpose of getting them interested in their product at an early age.<ref>{{cite news|title=Teetotaler Thurmond Raps Spuds McKenzie|url=http://www.apnewsarchive.com/1987/Teetotaler-Thurmond-Raps-Spuds-MacKenzie-Beer-Promotion/id-03e7a81bdc59e057aa34abefeaa82cce|accessdate=23 November 2012|newspaper=Associated Press|date=13 November 1987}}</ref> By Christmas 1987, more legal action resulted from Budweiser's use of ads featuring Spuds dressed as Santa, which is illegal in states such as Ohio.<ref>{{cite news|title=Spuds Can't Promote Beer Dressed as Santa|url=http://www.apnewsarchive.com/1987/Spuds-Can-t-Promote-Beer-Dressed-as-Santa/id-46558bab3fdc7f357896effdc47163f2|accessdate=23 November 2012|newspaper=Associated Press|date=2 December 1987}}</ref> The Spuds McKenzie ad campaign was not without its share of ]. Shortly after Spuds' rise to fame, it was learned that the dog, portrayed as male in the ads, was actually female.<ref name="HesAGirl">{{cite news|author=Eric Zorn|title=Spuds Is a Dud as a Party Guy - He's a Girl|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1987-09-13-8703090112-story.html|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date= 1987-09-13|accessdate=2020-06-26}}</ref> Politicians and advocacy groups criticized the ads for promoting consumption of alcohol by children. Soon after the ads first aired in 1987, Senator ] began his own media campaign, claiming that the beer maker was using Spuds to appeal to children in order to get them interested in their product at an early age.<ref>{{cite news|title=Teetotaler Thurmond Raps Spuds McKenzie|url=https://apnews.com/03e7a81bdc59e057aa34abefeaa82cce|accessdate=23 November 2012|newspaper=Associated Press|date=13 November 1987}}</ref> By Christmas 1987, more legal action resulted from Bud Light's use of ads featuring Spuds dressed as Santa.<ref>{{cite news|title=Spuds in Doghouse for Impersonating Santa|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-12-03-fi-26487-story.html|accessdate=11 September 2024|newspaper=LA Times|date=3 December 1987}}</ref> Advertisements for alcohol beverages cannot reference Santa Claus in states such as Ohio.<ref>{{cite act |title=Rule 4301:1-1-44 Advertising |date=May 16, 2021 |institution=Ohio Legislative Service |url=https://codes.ohio.gov/assets/laws/administrative-code/authenticated/4301/1/1/4301$1-1-44_20210516.pdf |access-date=11 September 2024}}</ref>


In 1989, the ], along with ], alleged that ] was pitching the dog to children. Although the ] found no evidence to support that allegation, Anheuser-Busch decided to retire Spuds in 1989, partly because they felt the character's image had started to overshadow the product. In 1989, the ], along with ], alleged that Anheuser-Busch was pitching the dog to children. Although the ] found no evidence to support that allegation, Anheuser-Busch decided to retire Spuds in 1989, claiming that the character's image had started to overshadow the product.


In 2017, the character appeared in Bud Light's ] advertisement as a ghost who helps a man named Brian reunite with his friends; the ad was an homage to ]' '']''. The house number in this advertisement's last segment is 1989, the year Spuds was retired.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Taylor|first1=Kate|title=Bud Light is bringing back a controversial mascot who once helped sales soar 20%|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/bud-light-spuds-mackenzie-super-bowl-ad-2017-2|work=Business Insider|date=February 2, 2017|language=en}}</ref>
The dog's real name was '''Honey Tree Evil Eye''' (October 7, 1983 - May 31, 1993). She died of kidney failure in ], ].<ref>{{cite web|title=Grave of Honey Tree Evil Eye|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=19724446|work=Find A Grave}}</ref>


==Cultural references== == See also ==
⚫ {{Portal|1980s}}
*] third baseman ] was given the nickname “Spuds MacKenzie” by manager ] in 1988, the year Sabo won ] honors.
* ]
* ]


==References==
*The character ] (“The Original Party Worm”) from the television series '']'' is a parody of Spuds, as is ]’s stint as “]” on '']''.

*In his late-1980s anti-“]” anthem, “]” (the title of which parodies Budweiser’s “This Bud’s for You” ad campaign), ] says he “ain’t singing for Spuds” in the title track. The dog also appears throughout the music video for the same song.

* The commercial's use of skinny females as a standard of beauty inspired Sir Mix A Lot to write "]" in retort.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rabin|first=Nathan|title=Sir Mix-A-Lot Interview|url=http://www.avclub.com/articles/sir-mixalot,13825/|publisher=AV Club|accessdate=23 November 2012}}</ref>

*Referenced in an episode of '']'', titled "Larceny and Old Lace", which first aired in 1988.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gorillavid.in/0hjwns09o8du |title=GorillaVid - Just watch it! |publisher=Gorillavid.in |date= |accessdate=2012-10-29}}</ref>

*The song "]" by ] featuring ] includes a line in which Ghostface raps "If I was jiggy, you'd be spotted like Spud MacKenzie."

*The song ] by ] gives a shoutout to Spud MacKenzie

* Referenced in the ] episode "Workman's Holiday". Thelma refers to an old handmade lunchbox she created named "Binky Bunny" as "The Spuds McKenzie of his generation."

*In the '']'' episode "]", a drunk teen at a Spring Break celebration sees a dog resembling Spuds MacKenzie and is bitten by the dog after mistaking it for the Bud mascot.

*The comic '']'' #39 references the then-current ] controversy by having Badger save a Spuds-like mascot, '''Buddy McBride''', from a murder accusation.

*The comic '']’s ]'' volume 2, #7 briefly features a Spuds-like, surfing spokesdog named '''Spuzz MacFarlane''', who is promptly shot by Raul, the sentient cat.

*The song "]" by ] refers to Spuds MacKenzie (as well as ] beer mascot ]) as being attracted to Lōc's aphrodisiac-drinking dog.

*The song "Selfish" by ] featuring ] includes a line in which West says "I spotted her like Spud MacKenzie.

*The song "Mans Best Friend" by ] off his album '']'' includes a line "And I can't do that with Benji, Rin Tin Tin Or Spuds Mackenzie"

*In the '']'' episode “],” a very old Spuds MacKenzie is portrayed to be in a reality show like Rock of Love, with a group of women told to sleep with Spuds as he lies on the couch.

*An issue of ] in the late 80's had a study of how cultural standards are going downhill, as one example, tracing how America's favorite dog went from ] to ] to Spuds MacKenzie.

*A story arc in the comic strip '']'' involved a drunken Spuds wandering into town and causing chaos.

*In the April 19th 2012 episode "Live Ammo" of the NBC sitcom '']'', a background information sheet on a bull terrier up for adoption is noted as being the great-grandson of Spuds MacKenzie.

*In Pixar's film Toy Story, the character Sid has a dog that resembles Spuds, but instead is named "Scud".

==Notes==
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==External links==
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⚫ {{Portal|1980s}}


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Latest revision as of 17:32, 3 December 2024

Dog mascot of Bud Light beer
Spuds MacKenzie in an ad.

Spuds MacKenzie ("The Original Party Animal") is a fictional bull terrier dog character used for an extensive advertising campaign marketing Bud Light beer in the late 1980s. The Spuds MacKenzie mascot and campaign was the idea of a 23-year-old art director, Jon Moore. At the time, he was working at Needham, Harper, and Steers, a Chicago advertising agency. The dog first showed up in a Bud Light Super Bowl XXI ad in 1987.

The dog was portrayed by a female bull terrier named Honey Tree Evil Eye, or Evie for short. Evie was from Woodstock, Illinois, and lived in North Riverside, Illinois, with her owner's family, where she died in 1993. Anheuser-Busch sponsored many dogs from the kennel in Illinois where Evie was born.

The Spuds McKenzie ad campaign was not without its share of controversy. Shortly after Spuds' rise to fame, it was learned that the dog, portrayed as male in the ads, was actually female. Politicians and advocacy groups criticized the ads for promoting consumption of alcohol by children. Soon after the ads first aired in 1987, Senator Strom Thurmond began his own media campaign, claiming that the beer maker was using Spuds to appeal to children in order to get them interested in their product at an early age. By Christmas 1987, more legal action resulted from Bud Light's use of ads featuring Spuds dressed as Santa. Advertisements for alcohol beverages cannot reference Santa Claus in states such as Ohio.

In 1989, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, along with Mothers Against Drunk Driving, alleged that Anheuser-Busch was pitching the dog to children. Although the Federal Trade Commission found no evidence to support that allegation, Anheuser-Busch decided to retire Spuds in 1989, claiming that the character's image had started to overshadow the product.

In 2017, the character appeared in Bud Light's Super Bowl LI advertisement as a ghost who helps a man named Brian reunite with his friends; the ad was an homage to Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. The house number in this advertisement's last segment is 1989, the year Spuds was retired.

See also

References

  1. "History of Spuds MacKenzie: The Original Party Animal". 11 March 2020.
  2. "Spuds McKenzie: Official Party Animal". Bull Terrier Club of Dallas. Retrieved 2012-11-23.
  3. Beachamp, Rick (27 October 2011). "Dog and Kennel Magazine". Archived from the original on 27 October 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  4. "Spuds MacKenzie is dead". UPI. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
  5. ^ Eric Zorn (1987-09-13). "Spuds Is a Dud as a Party Guy - He's a Girl". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2020-06-26.
  6. "Teetotaler Thurmond Raps Spuds McKenzie". Associated Press. 13 November 1987. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  7. "Spuds in Doghouse for Impersonating Santa". LA Times. 3 December 1987. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  8. Rule 4301:1-1-44 Advertising (PDF). Ohio Legislative Service. May 16, 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  9. Taylor, Kate (February 2, 2017). "Bud Light is bringing back a controversial mascot who once helped sales soar 20%". Business Insider.
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