Sunday’s ad is entitled Holiday Visitors, and the illustration was done in 1950 by Douglass Crockwell. It’s #50 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, friends and family are arriving, bearing gifts, for a Christmas party. It’s cold outside, but a fire going inside and a tray of beer waiting for them. Sounds like a party to me.
Saturday’s ad is entitled Thanksgiving Dinner, and the illustration was done in 1950 by Douglass Crockwell. It’s #49 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 picture perfect Thanksgiving turkey is on the dinner table, but the it’s not complete. People wait in the wings to be seated until the most important job is done. The matriarch of the family is putting beer glasses down at each place setting, the final touch, before the holiday meal can begin. Just like at my house. If that text, and the art, looks familiar, you’ve got a good memory as this exact same Thanksgiving Dinner piece was used in 1947 as #10 in the series.
Friday’s ad is entitled Home from Hunting, and the illustration was done in 1950 by Douglass Crockwell. It’s #48 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 men are returning home from a hunting expedition with a pair of pheasants as their prize, and it’s smiles all around. And that looks a little odd for some reason, seeing everyone grinning about the dead birds. Something esle in this ad worth noting is how small the beer glasses are. Look at them in relationship to the beer bottles on the table and in the man on the left’s hand. They look six or eight ounce juice glasses, which seems strange.
Thursday’s ad is entitled Amateur Magician, and the illustration was done in 1950 by John Gannam. It’s #47 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 man is performing magic for his presumably long-suffering wife and their friends. I can only assume it’s his house, because that’s the only way his friends would sit still for a magic show. That, and lots of beer, of course.
Wednesday’s ad is entitled New Member Of The Family, and the illustration was done in 1950 by Douglass Crockwell. It’s #46 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, Grandma serves beer to the family as Grandpa shows off the new foal. This will undoubtedly be my daughter’s favorite new ad, since she wants a horse in the worst way. The girl in this ad is far more reserved, keeping a safe distance. My daughter would be right there with the horse.
Tuesday’s ad is entitled The Prize Catch, and the illustration was done in 1950 by Douglass Crockwell. It’s #45 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 man is showing off his prize catch to the gaping mouth reaction of his companions. Notice that he has smaller fish in his other hand, but he’s not talking about those. Also, this is the first of these ads to feature canned beer, as opposed to bottles.
Monday’s ad is entitled Cooling Off in the Country, and the illustration was done in 1950 by Douglass Crockwell. It’s #44 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, three couples are in an incredibly beautiful spot, with the cabin or summer cabin right next to a rushing river. Doesn’t that look like fun. I sure wish I had a place like that, or could afford it, when I was their age.
Sunday’s ad is entitled Showing Off the Engagement Ring, and the illustration was done in 1950 by John Gannam. It’s #43 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 people are celebrating an engagement. The bride-to-be sits, as if on her throne, and is receiving peasants to view the ring, while the men stand father back, drinking their beer. Dad appears to be pouring himself a second one, though I can’t tell if that’s because he’s so happy he’s losing a dependent or because he got a good deal for her. Either way, it looks nothing like my own engagement.
Saturday’s ad is entitled Getting The Boat Ready, and the illustration was done in 1950 by Douglass Crockwell. It’s #42 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, it seems like more of a canoe than a “boat” that he’s getting ready. But I love how everybody’s sitting around drinking beer and watching that one guy do all the work. I guess it’s his boat.
Friday’s ad is entitled Rehearsing the Community Play, and the illustration was done in 1950 by Douglass Crockwell. It’s #41 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 large group is doing a read-through of a community play that, presumably, will eventually be performed on a stage somewhere. But to make it through these early stages of the play’s development, many beers are necessary.
