Anheuser-Busch introduced its computer-generated, brand-name-croaking Budweiser Frogs in a 1995 Super Bowl commercial. The characters struck an immediate chord with consumers, who began to demand merchandise featuring the Frogs. As a result, Anheuser-Busch authorized a range of products, marking the first time since Spuds McKenzie in the late 1980s, that the company-a significant corporate trademark licensor-initiated an ad-related merchandising effort. T-shirts have been the most successful items, but the program extended into accessories, novelties, glassware and sporting goods, among other items.

The primordial swamp where it all began. © Anheuser-Busch.

During the 1997 NBA play-offs, Anheuser-Busch premiered a series of spin-off ads, which still air, starring a pair of wise-cracking Lizards (along with cameos by the Frogs). This campaign inspired a similar range of merchandise. "The demand [for the Lizards] was not as dramatic as it was with the Frogs initially," says Cheryl Pfneisel, licensing manager at Anheuser-Busch. "You can't discount the fact that the Frogs were introduced during the Super Bowl."

The Budweiser Frogs and Lizards represent just two of the many licensing efforts in the 1980s and 1990s that have focused on images and tag-lines from television commercials. (For a list of the most popular campaigns and detailed information on each, please see Selected Licensing Programs Inspired by Advertising Campaigns. Several high-profile merchandising programs have been based on animated campaigns. In addition to the Frogs and Lizards, they include the California Raisins and Coca-Cola icons such as the computer-generated Polar Bears and Bud Ice Penguins.

Live-action advertising, usually containing a memorable tag-line, have also been the basis for licensing programs. Among the examples are the current Taco Bell Chihuahua and its catch phrase "Yo quiero Taco Bell"; Wendy's "Where's the Beef?" commercials; and several Anheuser-Busch campaigns ranging from Spuds McKenzie in the 1990s to Bud Light's "I Love You, Man" and "Yes, I Am" in the 1990s. Still other merchandised commercials feature puppets or costumed characters, such as Nike's L'il Penny and Duracell's Putterman family.

Timing is Key
TV ad campaigns tend to become popular quickly, meaning that merchandise must appear right away to capitalize on demand when it exists. On the other hand, demand can end as soon as the commercials go off the air, which often occurs without warning to licensees, licensing agents and retailers.

In the case of the Budweiser Frogs, t-shirts were the first products available, launching three to four months after the Frogs' commercial introduction. Not only are t-shirts popular with consumers, but screen-printing technology allows manufacturers the flexibility to react quickly to market changes. These qualities make t-shirts, as well as similar items such as boxer shorts and sleepshirts, core categories for many ad-related licensing programs.