One of Canada’s most beloved songs is hitting the airwaves once again, this time celebrating the potatoes that helped make it famous. The Prince Edward Island Potato Board is launching a new targeted advertising campaign featuring Bud the Spud, the iconic song by legendary Canadian entertainer Stompin’ Tom Connors.

The campaign brings together two enduring symbols of Canadian culture - Stompin’ Tom’s unmistakable music and Prince Edward Island potatoes, in a celebration of Island pride, farming heritage and a product that has been enjoyed by generations of Canadians. First released in 1969, Bud the Spud tells the story of a truck driver hauling PEI potatoes from the Island’s famous red soil to markets across the country. The song became one of Stompin’ Tom’s signature hits, introducing generations of Canadians to the Island’s potato industry and earning a special place in the hearts of Islanders and Canadians alike.

“Stompin’ Tom has always held a special place in the history of Prince Edward Island, and Bud the Spud is a song that celebrates our industry in a way that few advertising campaigns ever could,” says Greg Donald, general manager of the PEI Potato Board. “There’s an incredible sense of nostalgia and pride associated with this song, but it also tells a story that remains just as relevant today. Our farmers continue to grow exceptional potatoes in our famous red soil and shipping them to dinner tables across North America and beyond.”

Born in Saint John, New Brunswick, Stompin’ Tom spent much of his childhood in Skinner’s Pond, PEI. His experiences growing up in rural Prince Edward Island helped shape his appreciation for the people, places and working traditions that would become central themes throughout his musical career. His contribution to promoting PEI potatoes was recognized as early as 1970, when he was honoured in Charlottetown and presented with a Golden Potato. More than five decades later, his song continues to be a cherished part of the Island’s cultural identity.

Through a licensing agreement for the use of Bud the Spud, the PEI Potato Board has incorporated the song into a new 30-second commercial that will be featured across digital and other media platforms. The campaign is designed to connect with longtime fans of Stompin’ Tom while introducing a new generation of consumers to PEI potatoes and the people and place behind them.

“Music has an incredible ability to connect people across generations,” adds Katie MacLennan, chair, PEI Potato Board. “We want to build on that emotional connection while reminding consumers that PEI potatoes remain a delicious, versatile and proudly Canadian choice for today’s dinner table.”

After all these years, Bud is still on the road — and those spuds are still from Prince Edward Island.

To watch the new commercial, visit https://www.peipotato.org/bud-the-spud/

Source: PEI Potato Board November 3, 2026 news release