Search

Home > Retroist Podcast > Maybe it's time to bring Spuds MacKenzie out of retirement
Podcast: Retroist Podcast
Episode:

Maybe it's time to bring Spuds MacKenzie out of retirement
Category: Society & Culture
Duration: 00:00:00
Publish Date: 2024-08-09 10:01:02
Description:

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the Coors Beer Wolf. While doing so, it got me thinking about the more famous of the beer canines, Spuds MacKenzie ("The Original Party Animal"). Spuds broke big in 1987, when he appeared in a Bud Light ad for Super Bowl XXI, but his first appearance was a few years earlier. Played by female, bull terrier, Evie, she made her earliest appearances in 1985, and was an almost instant hit. Quickly more ads were run, but Spuds also began appearing on shirts, calendars, posters, and much more. I had no interest in beer myself, but I still had two Spuds’ posters on my bedroom wall as a kid.

Evie’s full name was Honey Tree Evil Eye and she was born on October 7, 1983 in Woodstock Illinois. Entering the beer business while she was still below the drinking age in dog years. Her spokedog status would last until 1989, when Anheuser-Busch decided to retire the character, mentioning that that the fame of Spud’s was overshadowing the product. Evie life another four years before passing away in 1993.

They character was briefly brought out of retirement for the Super Bowl a few years ago. I was hoping that was the start of a rennaisance, but that was just a one time thing. Will Spuds ever push suds again? I would think so, its an adorable mascot with broad appeal and even after all these years, still has name recognition. Now if only Bud Light had a reason for bringing the party animal back out as the face of their product.

(If you have retro finds you would like for me to share, I want to hear them. What old useful website are still lurking on the web? Some old TV show streaming online? Old tech being brought back? Let me know.)

ONE COOL VIDEO

If we are going to talk about Spuds, we need to feature one of his commercials. But which one was these Robin Leach narated ads was most memorable? Was it the Olympics? The muscle beach one? Nah, for me it was this Halloween-themed one where you could win an opportunity to party with Spuds at the Psycho Hotel.

TEN THINGS RETRO

️ Technology - Have you heard of the Atari Video Music? It was an early music visualizer you hooked up to your stereo and TV. While it was really cool and loved by collectors, it was a flop at the time.

Music - Hear New Order’s Blue Monday as it was meant to be heard, performed completely on Vintage Casio Instruments by Polaroids of the Pyramids.

Floppy - The floppy is still out there getting the job done. The German Navy still uses them on systems on their Brandenburg-class F123 warships, but they are looking for a new solution.
Total Play: 0