The Bush’s Baked Beans commercials have been iconic in the U.S. for a long time. However, they will never be the same from now on.
Last Tuesday, Bush’s Beans announced that Duke – the dog who played in their commercials and who had turned into the unofficial company mascot – had died.
The initial announcement was made by a family friend named David Odom. David shared the sad news on Facebook and paid tribute to the beloved dog. Duke’s name was actually Sam, but that’s irrelevant to the whole tragic situation.
“He lived in Apopka, Florida, with our friend Susan his owner. She trains animals to work in commercials. Not just hers but others as well. Sadly she had to euthanize Sam [on June 27] due to an aggressive cancer he was suffering from. She is as we are heartbroken.”
He also said, “He was a very special dog to all who ever knew or had the pleasure of meeting him. He is and will be missed.”
Bush’s also addressed the fans of Duke and the brand in a July 3 post.
They cited Duke’s series of now iconic commercials in which Duke tried to spill the company’s secret recipe.
“We continue to be overwhelmed by fan interest and their love of Duke. The relationship between [brand spokesman] Jay and his beloved dog Duke is the embodiment of the BUSH’S brand, and has been a part of our family story for more than 20 years. During that time, we’ve worked closely with several dogs who portrayed Duke in our commercials, including Sam. While Sam has not worked with us in years, we are saddened by the news of his passing and are grateful to have had him depict Duke. Because Duke is iconic to BUSH’S and so adored by our fans, we will continue to use him in our ads.”
