Monday’s ad is for Carlsberg, and is done by famed fantasy and science fiction artist Frank Frazetta in 1985. Using the tagline “I Told You Not To Touch My Carlsberg,” the painting suggests the carnage that might ensue should someone decide to “touch” his beer. There’s another slogan at the bottom of the ad, “Denmark’s Greatest Export Since the Vikings,” which may explain why they chose this work by Frazetta.
Sunday’s ad is for Carlsberg, advertising for the James Bond movie, the Living Daylights, which premiered July 31, 1987. In the ad, a torso in a tuxedo is pouring a glass of Carlsberg for himself, while a pair of female hands caress the man. He’s obviously meant to be James Bond, and the ad carries the tagline “He’s dangerous and he takes chances. Except when it comes to his beer.”
Saturday’s ad is entitled Dad Rehearses His Speech, and the illustration was done in 1956 by Douglass Crockwell. It’s #119 in a series entitled “Home Life in America,” also known as the Beer Belongs series of ads that the United States Brewers Foundation ran from 1945 to 1956. This is the final ad in the series. In this ad, Dad Rehearses His Speech while his wife and kids have to endure hearing it for the umpteenth time. I assume the beer must be helping.
Friday’s ad is entitled Do-It-Yourself Decorators, and the illustration was done in 1956 by Pruett Carter. It’s #118 in a series entitled “Home Life in America,” also known as the Beer Belongs series of ads that the United States Brewers Foundation ran from 1945 to 1956. In this ad, two couples are Do-It-Yourself Decorators and appear to be fans of artist Piet Mondrian. Because it looks like they’re following one of his paintings and using to make a rug matching it. How much beer have they been drinking?
Thursday’s ad is entitled Quiet Evening at Home, and the illustration was done in 1956 by Douglass Crockwell. It’s #117 in a series entitled “Home Life in America,” also known as the Beer Belongs series of ads that the United States Brewers Foundation ran from 1945 to 1956. In this ad, a couple is enjoying a Quiet Evening at Home. He’s reading a book, she’s working some needlework, while their kitten plays with a ball of yarn on the sofa next to her. Full pilsner glasses of beer sit on the end table between them. Seems like a pretty good way to spend an evening.
Wednesday’s ad is entitled Hi Fi, and the illustration was done in 1956 by Haddon Sundblom. It’s #116 in a series entitled “Home Life in America,” also known as the Beer Belongs series of ads that the United States Brewers Foundation ran from 1945 to 1956. In this ad, some couples lounge in a pink room, drinking beer, and listening to those old-fashioned vinyl disks that used to hold music in grooves. One woman pages through a book of records, with another woman watching, as if they’re looking at a scrapbook. As usual, they got pretty dressed up to listen to some records at a listening party. Opera, sure. The den? Not so much.
Tuesday’s ad is entitled Weekend In The Ski Country, and the illustration was done in 1955 by Haddon Sundblom. It’s #115 in a series entitled “Home Life in America,” also known as the Beer Belongs series of ads that the United States Brewers Foundation ran from 1945 to 1956. This is another duplicate, and it was used the previous year as #90 with only a slightly different title, Weekend in Ski Country, everything else is exactly the same. The only difference is that extra “the.” As I wrote about it the last time, a new couple is arriving at the cabin at the ski resort for the weekend. They must be younger, because in my experience older women do not rush up and hug one another, grinning like cheshire cats, and touching cheeks. The rest of the party is already settled in, drinking beer and eating popcorn by the fire. Out the window, the sun is going down, and skis and poles lean against the cabin, ready for tomorrow’s adventures.
Monday’s ad is entitled We Won!, and the illustration was done in 1955 by Haddon Sundblom. It’s #114 in a series entitled “Home Life in America,” also known as the Beer Belongs series of ads that the United States Brewers Foundation ran from 1945 to 1956. This is another duplicate, and it was used the previous year as #100 with a different title, After the Game, everything else is exactly the same. The only difference is, this time we know they won. As I wrote about it the last time, the kids are back from the football game, and Mom has the salad and jello mold ready for them. Thankfully, someone also set out beer, which is the only thing on the table they really want.
Sunday’s ad is entitled Working on the Community Drive, and the illustration was done in 1955 by Douglass Crockwell. It’s #113 in a series entitled “Home Life in America,” also known as the Beer Belongs series of ads that the United States Brewers Foundation ran from 1945 to 1956. In this ad, a group of well-dressed men and women are in someone’s large, nicely appointed home, apparently Working on the Community Drive. There are envelopes, an address book, a list, index cards and someone using a pen. It looks old school and very low-tech, but then again in 1955 a computer like the IBM 702 (which was first built that year) took up a very large room and had to be leased from Big Blue, so it may have been out of the reach of the neighborhood community drive. Maybe that’s why they’re serving beer.
Saturday’s ad is entitled Between Innings, and the illustration was done in 1955 by Pruett Carter. It’s #112 in a series entitled “Home Life in America,” also known as the Beer Belongs series of ads that the United States Brewers Foundation ran from 1945 to 1956. In this ad, a well-dressed couple — I know I like to put on a suit and tie when I watch baseball on television — takes time out in between innings to pour themselves some more beer. I hope they do that between every inning.
