The Last Bull Durham Ad

Did you know there’s only ONE original Bull Durham Tobacco ad remaining in the Bull City?

You can find the last known Bull Durham Tobacco ad on the side of 156 Ramseur Street, which houses Teasers Men’s Club. Hey, that’s where it is and the best view is from the backside, albeit you can catch a glimpse from Main Street.

It looks as though it was put on top of an older Bull Durham ad that included a bull with the infamous low fence.

Is it ironic that there’s now an air vent duct right through a tobacco ad?

Given that the focus was to bring Bull Durham to a global audience and bring their money back to the Bull, it makes sense that there is only one of these ads remaining. It wouldn’t have made sense to advertise for the tobacco that is the majority of the town’s employer. A timeless marketing lesson.

It’s no coincidence that Bull Durham tobacco was a global tobacco empire. W.T. Blackwell understood the value of art and the nuances of branding like no one had before. Essentially if it stood still long enough, he’d have a Bull Durham ad put on it.

Furthermore, he was absolutely obsessive and relentless about business. Always growing. Always bringing in money. Never stop expanding.

The “wall dog” ads could be seen through the U.S., Canada, Europe, and even some parts of Asia. Yes, that’s vague as Asia is the largest continent in the world, but that’s what’s in the history books to work with.

It was rumored for nearly 150 years that there was a Bull Durham ad painted on the Great Pyramid of Kafu. That turned out to be a wild embellishment perpetuated by men and dispelled by women. That’s covered in depth in “The Bulls of Durham” living history book.

Have you seen the last Bull Durham Tobacco wall dog ad in Durham? Have you ever seen one in a different city? Can you guess what building @BrianBonomoPhotography got access to in order to get this unBULLievaBULL photo?

This Bull City History Bit was brought to you in partnership with Brian Bonomo Photography. Thank you for being an incrediBULL & valuaBULL Community Partner.