Jay R. Brooks on Beer
Tuesday’s ad is for Pabst Blue Ribbon, from 1953. Starting in the early 1950s, Pabst started a new ad campaign with the tagline “What’ll You Have” which lasted for a few years. They were colorful ads, and often had the tagline spelled out in creative ways. In this ad, “What’ll You Have” is written on the side of a large ham sitting on a silver tray. There’s also another silver tray with two bottles of Pabst poured into two beer glasses.
Monday’s ad is for Pabst Blue Ribbon, from 1953. Starting in the early 1950s, Pabst started a new ad campaign with the tagline “What’ll You Have” which lasted for a few years. They were colorful ads, and often had the tagline spelled out in creative ways. In this ad, “What’ll You Have” is written in the side of a green canoe. It looks like they’re grilling fish they just caught with six bottles of Pabst and two filled beer glasses. Also, check out the bottle opener that’s also a hammer.
Sunday’s ad is for Pabst Blue Ribbon, from 1953. Starting in the early 1950s, Pabst started a new ad campaign with the tagline “What’ll You Have” which lasted for a few years. They were colorful ads, and often had the tagline spelled out in creative ways. In this ad, “What’ll You Have” is written in lace on the tablecloth. It’s a pretty fancy setting with fine china, a bouquet of roses and shiny candlesticks, along with a bottle and glass of Pabst at each place setting.
Saturday’s ad is for Pabst Blue Ribbon, from 1953. Starting in the early 1950s, Pabst started a new ad campaign with the tagline “What’ll You Have” which lasted for a few years. They were colorful ads, and often had the tagline spelled out in creative ways. In this ad, “What’ll You Have” is written on the television screen while the two people watching the TV are pouring themselves a glass of Pabst.
Friday’s ad is for Pabst Blue Ribbon, from 1953. Starting in the early 1950s, Pabst started a new ad campaign with the tagline “What’ll You Have” which lasted for a few years. They were colorful ads, and often had the tagline spelled out in creative ways. In this ad, “What’ll You Have” is written on the inside of the top half of the hamburger buns across a trio of hamburgers ready to be eaten. In the foreground, there are four bottles of Pabst, with one being poured into a glass.
Thursday’s ad is for Pabst Blue Ribbon, from 1954. Starting in the early 1950s, Pabst started a new ad campaign with the tagline “What’ll You Have” which lasted for a few years. They were colorful ads, and often had the tagline spelled out in creative ways. In this ad, “What’ll You Have” is written on a banner held up by two porcelain figurines. The whole spread looks to be pretty fancy, with two bottles and glasses of Pabst Blue Ribbon on a silver tray.
Wednesday’s ad is for Pabst Blue Ribbon, from 1954. Starting in the early 1950s, Pabst started a new ad campaign with the tagline “What’ll You Have” which lasted for a few years. They were colorful ads, and often had the tagline spelled out in creative ways. In this ad, “What’ll You Have” is written in the sand at the beach. Behind the ocean and the sand, there’s a picnic blanket with food, a bucket of PBR’s and two mugs of beer. That looks like the makings of a pretty good day.
Between 1951 and 1953, P. Ballantine and Sons Brewing Company, or simply Ballentine Beer, created a series of ads with at least thirteen different writers. They asked each one “How would you put a glass of Ballantine Ale into words?” Each author wrote a page that included reference to their beer, and in most cases not subtly. One of them was Clarence Budington Kelland, who was an American writer. He once described himself as “the best second-rate writer in America”
Today is the birthday of Clarence Budington Kelland (July 11, 1881–February 18, 1964). “Although largely forgotten now, Kelland had a long career as a writer of fiction and short stories, stretching from 1913 to 1960. He was published in many magazines, including The Saturday Evening Post and The American Magazine. A prolific writer, his output included sixty novels and some two hundred short stories. His best known juvenile works were the Mark Tidd series and the Catty Atkins series, while his best known adult work was the Scattergood Baines series. Other notable adult books by Kelland include Conflict (1920), Rhoda Fair (1925), Hard Money (1930), Arizona (1939), and Dangerous Angel (1953). Kelland was the “literary idol” of the teenaged John O’Hara. He was referred to in a 1995 installment of Harlan Ellison’s television commentary, Harlan Ellison’s Watching for the program Sci-Fi Buzz, wherein Ellison laments what he perceives as a prevailing cultural illiteracy.
Kelland’s work resulted in some thirty Hollywood movies, including Speak Easily (1932) starring Buster Keaton. Opera Hat, a serial from The American Magazine, was the basis for the film Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) starring Gary Cooper. Opera Hat later was turned into the short-lived television series Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1969–70), and the movie Mr. Deeds (2002). One of Kelland’s best-known characters was featured in the Scattergood Baines series of six films from 1941 to 1943, starring Guy Kibbee.”
His 1952 piece for Ballantine was done as a reminiscence of his first taste of Ballantine in America, just after a well-played round of golf:
Ballangine is a companionable drink.
With a glass in hand, conversation seems to flow more freely, and even controversial subjects are discussed more tolerantly in a spirit of friendship.
Ballantine Ale does not interrupt, but becomes a charming part of conversation. It seems to belong with pleasant words and valued friends — to be lingered over its thoughtful enjoyment.
When a party of gentlemen gathers for purposes serious or genial, Ballantine Ale becomes a sort of moderator. It seems, somehow, to mellow the atmosphere in tune with its own mellowness. It is the most desirable of all social beverages.
Tuesday’s ad is for Pabst Blue Ribbon, from 1951. Starting in the early 1950s, Pabst started a new ad campaign with the tagline “What’ll You Have” which lasted for a few years. They were colorful ads, and often had the tagline spelled out in creative ways. In this ad, “What’ll You Have” is written on blue ribbons, though in this case the ribbons appear to be for the three puppies on the chair. They must have won those at a dog show. On the table next to the chair is a tray with two glasses and bottles of PBR. I guess one of the dogs will have to share.
Monday’s ad is for Pabst Blue Ribbon, from 1952. Starting in the early 1950s, Pabst started a new ad campaign with the tagline “What’ll You Have” which lasted for a few years. They were colorful ads, and often had the tagline spelled out in creative ways. In this ad, “What’ll You Have” is written on a tavern or inn sign that can be seen through a window, along with a dog and a flowering tree. Although the sky looks positively fake. Inside there’s a tray whose handles look like rifles, with two bottles and mugs of PBR in it. There’s also a bowl of pretzels in the foreground, so that’s the complete package.
