Monday’s ad is for Molson Export Ale, from 1950s. The man in the illustration does look happy. After all, he’s got a “”deep armchair” and the promise of “quiet relaxation.” All he needs is a beer to make his time off perfect … unless of course he’s got a wife and kids that won’t be thrilled about him spending the evening quietly sipping beer in his comfy chair.
Sunday’s ad is for Blatz Pilsener Beer, from 1945. This is the second ad in the last week or so using the “B” in Blatz with the barley stalks. In this ad, the “Key To Good Taste” is both the church key about to open the bottle and “the finest ingredients, scientifically controlled and laboratory tested.” Umm, sounds tasty.
Saturday’s ad is for Carling’s Black Label and Red Cap Ale, from the 1950s. I guess they were trying to make it look sophisticated with the castle mansion, Rolls Royce and man in a tuxedo. The tickets next to the bottle read “The International Look.” These were apparently their “modern new labels,” and boy howdy does that make the difference in how a beer tastes. This is one approach that the big breweries take that I’ve never quite understood. I understand that packaging is, and should, be updated from time to time, sometimes in small increments and occasionally a complete overhaul. But it’s not really newsworthy, it’s not what consumers care about. I’m arguably more interested in beer labels and packaging than the average beer drinkers, and I find these ads absurd, so how insignificant must they seem to regular folks? Why would they assume it matters that the label has changed? If people notice and sales go up on their own then the new packaging is a success. Telling them they should notice and care that the same beer inside the bottle now has a spiffy new label is, in my opinion, a pretty tough, and pointless, sell.
But if they’re going for sophistication, take a closer look in the bottom right-hand corner. What the hell is that character? A weird barrel-shaped man with a flat head wearing all-white, except for a black top hat and a striped shirt. That doesn’t look particularly sophisticated to me.
Friday’s ad is for Carling’s Red Cap Ale, from 1955. Kinda of goofy Canadian ad, all in red. A guy who looks a bit like Bing Crosby sitting in front of a television set, looking back to us with the headline. “Hi there! Get yourself a Beer * and sit down.” I guess there’s not going after the active lifestyle demographic. I also love the tagline at the bottom. “It’s a pure case of pleasure.”
Thursday’s ad is another one for Blatz Pilsener Beer, this one from 1943. It’s for “discriminating people everywhere.” I do love the barley in the script “B,” that looks pretty cool. But my favorite is how they characterize the beer in the copy at the bottom. “Milwaukee’s Most Exquisite Beer.” There were apparently other “exquisite” beers in Milwaukee, but this one was the “most exquisite.”
Wednesday’s ad is for Blatz Old Heidelberg Beer, from 1940. It’s a “Special Pilsener Brewer,” which apparently means “it’s not bitter; it’s not sweet — it’s just want you want.” But I especially love their rationale for why you’ll love their “new clear glass bottle.” It “let’s you see what you’re drinking.”
Tuesday’s ad is another one for Schlitz, from 1946. Old or young, smart women apparently put bottles of Schlitz in baskets to buy at the grocery store. That, apparently, is “menu foresight.” But I love this bit of wisdom. “Serving Schlitz to your guests is like bringing out your best linen or silver — it says ‘Nothing’s too good for our friends!'”
Monday’s ad is for Schlitz, from 1947. Showing an illustration of a backyard barbecue, two couples are having a fine day. One of the women has brought out a tray with enough glasses and bottles of Schlitz for everyone. And boy do the other three look happy, just staring at her with smiling blank looks on their faces. The other couple look like they could be the same person. But the text is great. After a story about it takes just the right amount of seasoning to make the steak taste perfect, they suggest that “it takes a gift of genius to lure shy flavors from their hiding places,” before bringing it back to Schlitz.
Sunday’s ad is for Kingsbeer Lager, from 1955. The brand was produced by Dow Breweries of Quebec, Canada. A simple ad, but “So Light! So Right!” is a pretty funny tagline. But it’s nothing compared to the other ad copy. “Rice brewed to the Canadian taste.” Ah, the Canadian taste.
Saturday’s ad is for Schlitz, from 1955. And you thought the blue man group was a new phenomenon, but they were around and serving Schlitz — a.k.a. the World’s Most Famous Taste in Beer — way back in the Fifties. Honestly, I don’t quite understand why the guy is blue. But he does have another one of those magic bottles. It’s only half empty but it managed to completely fill two pilsner glasses.
