Monday’s ad is another one from the United States Brewers Foundation, also from 1956. This was part of the “Beer Belongs” series, but after the numbered “Home Life in America” run. I love the ad copy on all of these. “Beer has its own way of making this the … ‘Best part of the day.'” But it gets even better. “A tall cold glass of beer or ale — right off the ice — could anything ever fit in better with the fun and relaxation of a summer’s day?” The answer, by the way, is “no.”
Sunday’s ad is another one from the United States Brewers Foundation, also from 1956. This was part of the “Beer Belongs” series, but after the numbered “Home Life in America” run. The ad copy on this is priceless, too. “Beer has its own friendly way of saying … ‘Come and get it.'” This time the advice in the inset box is about keeping your glass clean, by rinsing it with water just before using it.
Saturday’s ad is for Rheingold Beer, this one from 1949, and features Miss Rheingold from that year, Pat McElroy. In this ad, she’s sitting in a hay wagon, playing an accordion. Today is the first day of the 24th annual Cotati Accordion Festival, the two-day music festival in the town where I live.
Friday’s ad is still another one from the United States Brewers Foundation, again from 1956. This was part of the “Beer Belongs” series, but after the numbered “Home Life in America” run. The ad copy on this is priceless, too. “Beer has its own wonderful way of saying … ‘Let’s just sit awhile.'” This time the advice in the inset box is about pouring your beer straight down the center, not tilted, because “it tastes even better that way!”
Thursday’s ad is yet another one from the United States Brewers Foundation, this time from 1956. This was part of the “Beer Belongs” series, but after the numbered “Home Life in America” run. I love the ad copy on this one in particular. “Beer has a very special way of saying … ‘Have a good time.'” And check out the great advice in the inset box in the bottom right corner, telling people to keep the beer out of the sun. Somebody missed a great business opportunity to sell beer umbrellas to keep your beer in the shade while at the beach.
Tuesday’s ad is from the United States Brewers Foundation, from 1953. In a factoid-filled newspaper ad, the trade group sings the praises of the industry and their contribution to the economy. $2 million a day seems like a lot, though today it’s closer to $90 million a day, though it’s possibly more depending on which taxes are included in those statistics.
Monday’s ad is for the Burton Brewery, from the 1877. This is another brewery postcard, this one for a Boston, Massachusetts brewery, apparently located at the corner of Parker and Heath Streets. A relatively modest building, but I love clean these are depicted. Gorgeous.
Sunday’s ad is for Budweiser, from the 1950s. This is a postcard showing the St. Louis brewery complex from above, but is not a photo. It’s an illustration, and these were a common way to advertise a brewery then, used not just as postcards, but as posters, calendars and other large formats that could be framed. I think they’re incredibly beautiful and wish someone would put together a coffee table book of these brewery works of art.
Saturday’s ad is for Schlitz, from 1947. A man wearing tweed in, of course, what looks to be a library, holds up his glass of beer to inspect it. But I love the opening quote in the ad copy. “Opening a bottle of Schlitz is like opening a familiar and well-loved book.”
Friday’s ad is for Hamm’s, from 1950. Showing bottles of “Hamm’s Preferred Stock Beer,” with a single can hiding behind them, on a silver tray, this is another case of physics run amok. The can looks like it hasn’t been opened yet, and the two open bottles are each about three-quarters full, yet the two glasses on the tray are filled to the brim. So either they’re tiny glasses (although they look proportionally the right size) or where did all the beer come from? This is a typical oddity in ads from this time period.
