Tom Woodard, creator of the Budweiser Frog commercial and the voice of `Bud' the frog, is overshadowed by a giant lizard, the screen projection of another Budweiser trademark. Mr. Woodard spoke to members of the Augusta Advertising Federation on Thursday. JEFF JANOWSKI/STAFF

Ad man keeps message simple

Creator of Budweiser frogs tells Augusta area advertisers that knowing the audience is vital to success

Web posted February 5, 1999

By Frank Witsil
Staff Writer

Sometimes, it's the simple things that really count.

Tom Woodard, owner of a Nashville-based advertising and marketing firm, told listeners Thursday at a monthly meeting of the Augusta Advertising Federation that his career took off after he did something very simple: he came up with an idea for a commercial and croaked a one syllable word into a microphone, ``Bud.''

His idea and voice later aired on TV during the Super Bowl.

And he became known as ``Bud the Frog,'' the first of the three Budweiser bullfrogs.

``How did a guy from Nashville, Tenn., end up as the voice of a frog?'' he asked. ``One day, I answered the phone.''

The call was from a St. Louis agency, asking him to kick around some ideas they could submit as a proposal for a Budweiser beer commercial. They talked for about 30 minutes. The idea developed.

Mr. Woodard never realized that his wacky idea would blossom into what it has. Since the Budweiser commercial aired in 1995, there have been four Super Bowl commercial sequels. The croaking bullfrogs with their famous ``bud''-``weis''-``er'' have become pop icons.

``The frogs caught on,'' he said.

It worked, Mr. Woodard said, because it was simple.

``In the MTV age that we're in -- quick cuts, in your face -- nothing is ever said,'' he said.

The frog commercial was funny and direct. It did not objectify women with the ``babe factor,'' he said. It was responsible advertising.

The key to making a successful commercial, Mr. Woodard said, is knowing your audience, remembering that you're selling something, and thinking like the person you're trying to sell.

``Become the grandmother you're trying to reach; become the kid you're trying to reach,`` he said. ``And answer every phone call you get.''

Frank Witsil can be reached at (706) 823-3352.