With her oversized ears and pointy little snout, Gidget, the adorable Taco Bell Chihuahua, used her feminine wiles for much of the late '90s to make an entire nation of sophisticated palates eat cheap Mexican food. Sadly, Gidget suffered a stroke and died Tuesday at the age of 15. In her honor, we decided to look back at some other animals who have peddled products.

The Budweiser Clydesdales may seem like some brilliant new promotional tool, but they've been with the company since April 7, 1933, when it introduced them to celebrate the repeal of prohibition. The first hitch of Clydesdales carried the first case of post-Prohibition beer from the company's St. Louis brewery. That's right: Each of the Clydesdales is nearly 80 years old.

How to say this delicately? The 9 Lives pitchman was kind of a snob. Whether dismissing the merits of dry cat food, or snarking on debate partners who favored cheaper brands, he gave off a nose-in-the air, elitist vibe as unprofessional as it was offputting. But he sold a lot of 9 Lives.

This bull terrier, stunningly revealed to be female soon after "his" debut Super Bowl ad for Bud Light, became a pop culture icon in the late '80s. Spuds died in 1993, proud to be the first sexually ambiguous, quasi-alcoholic animal ever to win a pole vaulting competition and ride in a submarine — though of course not in the same commercial. That honor goes to Reggie the Lehman Brothers Koala.

Maybe it's because the bird is voiced by Gilbert Gottfried, or because ducks are so underused in Hollywood. Whatever the case, his quacky catchphrase is a brilliant bit of branding.

Cesar markets their product as gourmet dog food, so what better pitchman is there than a well-groomed, sophisticated pooch like this West Highland White Terrier?

This cuddly bunny may have had a bit of identity crisis (what's with the clucking?), but seeing those ears on the TV screen is always a happy reminder that Easter was just a few hops away.

When you want to brand your toilet tissue as soft and gentle, an absolutely adorable Labrador puppy is the way to go. It's the closest we ever come to cuddling with our toilet paper. Except when we're squeezing the Charmin, obviously.

We hate to say it, but once-respected television personality Mr. Ed kind of sold out with his phoned-in ads for the Studebaker Lark. ("A compact with performability," he said, sounding unconvinced himself.) Go straight to the source and ask the horse why he took the money and trotted: These oats don't pay for themselves, Wilbur.

The job market in this ecomony is tough enough without having to compete with these party-loving furballs. Note to employers: Don't be fooled by their professional appearance, because behind the suits and ties, these guys are all about the monkey buisness.

Ok, we know he's not real. But you can't tell us you wouldn't love to have a conversation with this guy. His cool British accent and general wisdom sets him apart in an already solid stable of Geico ads.

This is just common sense: You snuggle with teddy bears. Why not have a teddy bear convince you to use the snuggliest fabric softener on the shelf?

Seasonal like the Cadbury bunny, this family of lovable arctic cola drinkers always bring a smile in the gloomy winter.