NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Wendy's International will launch a series of new ads in June featuring a voiceover tribute to its late founder, Dave Thomas, after the company removed him from all advertising and marketing campaigns following his death last January, company officials confirmed to CNNfn Monday.

Wendy's executives originally believed that continuing to feature Thomas in ads would seem exploitive, but after receiving customer responses, the company reversed its stance, officials said.

"I've got to tell you, after we saw the response to his passing, I changed my mind," Don Calhoon, Wendy's vice president of marketing told the New York Times. "[Customers] said they were paying tribute to Dave by coming into the stores."

The Dublin, Ohio-based company said such visits may have boosted revenue by 10 percent and its bottom line by 12 percent in the first quarter, according to the paper. Sales at stores open for more than a year rose by 5.6 percent in the quarter as well.

The spots, created by New York-based Bates USA, a unit of Cordiant Communications Group (CDA: Research, Estimates), will promote Wendy's "Super Value Menu" as being prepared "Dave's way," according to the paper.

Wendy's 5,700 restaurants also will begin featuring posters with a picture of Thomas and the headline "We'll always do it Dave's way," next week, a spokesman told CNNfn.

The message will be delivered out of respect for Wendy's founder and to convey the message that Dave's values are continuing at Wendy's, the spokesman said.

Shares of Wendy's (WEN: Research, Estimates) fell 24 cents to close at $37.50 in trading on the New York Stock Exchange Monday.