Thursday’s ad is for Schlitz from 1951. It’s a great illustration showing a man painting a chair yellow. A dog has come up to him holding a bottle of Schlitz in its mouth, while a woman — his woman? — looks on from afar. Man’s best friend indeed.
Beer In Ads #663: For Real Enjoyment …
Wednesday’s ad is for Schaefer from 1957. It’s a clever one, showing a bottle of Schaefer Beer with a beer glass perpendicular with the text “For real enjoyment … turn this ad slowly to the right.” So if you did, the beer would pour out of the bottle and into the glass. I love the other tagline. “Schaefer beer it’s Real beer!”
Beer In Ads #662: Rheingold Horsing Around
Tuesday’s ad is another one for Rheingold Beer, this one from 1957, featuring Miss Rheingold for that year, Margie McNally. In this ad, she’s riding a horse out west on what looks like a cattle drive perhaps. But at least she’s got her spare horse carrying a couple cases of beer. Sure, they’re going to be warm, but maybe she can find an ice machine or cool cave.
Beer In Ads #661: You Wouldn’t Think It Possible!
Monday’s ad is for Schlitz, from 1945. It’s a surreal ad, with a little magic role reversal. Instead of the magician pulling a rabbit out of his hat, a giant bunny, wearing a tuxedo, has pulled the magician out of his top hat, though at least he has a bottle of Schlitz in his hand, too. I imagine the magician is thinking he’s probably had quite enough to drink if he’s seeing scary giant rabbits.
Beer In Ads #660: Every Sip Tells You What Words Can’t
Friday’s ad is for Budweiser, from 1946. It’s a beautiful illustration showing a colorful sunset as a young boy — looking every bit like Huck Finn — is returning from a day of fishing, with a large fish in one hand and a rudimentary handmade fishing pole in the other. Behind him, two adults sporting more sophisticated fishing equipment look on bewildered, presumably because their fishing hasn’t been as successful. The text begins. “You fish in vain for words to describe your first big catch.” Okay. It seems an odd way to sell beer, but okay. But I love the tagline at the bottom. “Every sip tells you what words can’t — why Budweiser is something more than beer … a tradition.” Essentially, they’re saying tradition is more than beer. That’s another tortured slogan that doesn’t really seem to make a lot of sense.
Beer In Ads #659: Rheingold Cheetahs & Dalmations
Thursday’s ad is another one for Rheingold Beer, this one from 1948, featuring Miss Rheingold for that year, Pat Quinlan. In this ad, she’s in a firehouse, posing by a fire truck with a dalmatian standing on it. She’s wearing a tan (or is that yellow?) outfit trimmed with a cheetah pattern, and also has a cheetah muffler and hat. Were they trying to tie the spots of the dog and the outfit together? Or is she a modern day Cruella DeVille?
Beer In Ads #658: Guinness Guide To Guinness
Wednesday’s ad is for Guinness, from 1951. In the “Guinness Guide,” it includes three mixed drink with Guinness (Black Velvet, Half & Half, Guinness and Rum), four different serving temperature suggestions (regular, mulled, chilled, and cooler) and one historical tidbit that makes no sense. It’s about a calvary officer who was wounded at Waterloo and drank Guinness while he was recovering. I’m not sure what that adds to the average person’s enjoyment?
Beer In Ads #657: Toasting Blatz
Tuesday’s ad is for Blatz, from 1952. It’s a simple ad, with the triangle-shaped Blatz logo in the center and a man and woman toasting with a pilsner glass held at the same angle as the triangle. Nice.
Beer In Ads #656: Rheingold In The Rain
Monday’s ad is for Rheingold Beer, this one from 1953, featuring Miss Rheingold for that year, Mary Austin. In this ad, she’s in the rain, sporting a pink slicker and striped pink umbrella with matching scarf. And she’s also keeping her black miniature poodle dry, too. I guess a rainy day is a good time for a beer.
Beer In Ads #655: And Follow Through With Rheingold
Friday’s ad is yet another Rheingold Beer ad, this one from 1959, featuring Miss Rheingold for that year, Robbin Bain. In this ad, she’s at the lanes, rolling her bowling ball at the pins. Behind her, at least two people have Rheingold beer bottles in their hands. But take a close look at how the almost glow. If I didn’t know better, I’d think they were photoshopped in, except that desktop publishing didn’t exist in 1959, let alone Photoshop. What do you think, did she roll a strike?
