We weren't suppose to know this, but the partying Spuds MacKenzie who liked his Bud Light was portrayed by a female dog named Honey Tree Evil Eye.
Honey Tree Evil Eye, a bull terrier, was born on October 7, 1983. Before she became famous as Budweiser's ultimate party animal, she was a show dog in Chicago. The unusually calm and photogenic dog caught the eyes of advertisers, and soon appeared on ads across college campuses. Her famous role didn't come until 1987.
A 23 year old art director, Jon Moore, created the Spuds MacKenzie mascot and campaign for Bud Light. The first TV ad appeared during Super Bowl XXI and was a huge hit. According to The New York Times, Bud Light sales increased by 20% between 1987 and 1988. The partying dog was soon on posters, t-shirts and other items, and the song Baby Got Back was written by Sir Mix-A-Lot to praise women who didn't look like the Spuds MacKenzie girls which he described as "little skinny chicks looking like stop signs, with big hair and skinny bodies."
Honey Tree Evil Eye's career as Budweiser's mascot didn't last long due to controversy. Republican Senator Strom Thurmond accused Anheuser Busch of glamorizing the use of alcohol and encouraging those who are under-aged to drink. Mother's Against Drunk Driving also campaigned against Spuds MacKenzie. Although the Federal Trade Commission found no evidence to support the allegations, Budweiser's ultimate party animal retired in 1989. Anheuser Busch felt that Spud's character had started to overshadow the product.
It was People magazine who revealed Spuds MacKenzie's gender in 1987. The truth was never supposed to be revealed.
Honey Tree Evil Eye died of renal failure on May 31, 1993.
