Tuesday’s ad is for Budweiser, from 1949. Part of Bud’s long-running “there’s nothing like it” series, the ad starts with “Waltz time, rhumba, foxtrot, swing,” showing a couple out dancing, dressed to the nines. You gotta love that teeny, tiny thin bow tie the man is wearing with his tux. But my favorite is a throwaway statement in the bottom right corner of the ad. “There’s more Budweiser — and there will be still more as our vast expansion program continues.” Uh oh.
Monday’s ad is for Schlitz, from 1948. This is another of their long-running “I was curious” three-panel series. This one features a young man with no waist wearing Mom jeans being lured into a backyard by an older couple. Check out the leopard print being worn by the cougar in the second panel. Meow.
Sunday’s ad is for Goebel Beer, from 1949. The Detroit, Michigan brewery set their ad at night in the desert, presumably to make the association with an arid climate since the tagline is “better try extra-dry Goebel beer.” It certainly makes me thirsty looking at all that sand, not to mention the campfire.
Saturday’s ad is for Schlitz, from 1943. I’ve talked about this before, how oftentimes back in the earlier part of the century, products like beer were referred to as “friendly.” Here’s another example where Schlitz claims that “for millions of Americans the simple joy of companionship are made richer, deeper, more satisfying with a glass of friendly SCHLITZ.” Damn straight, skippy, I don’t want one of those unfriendly beers touching my lips.
Friday’s ad is for Miller High Life, from 1954. Starting with the tagline “Traditionally the Finest,” the ad equates Florida with vacationers and the state’s fame as “a center of hospitality.” And this is seventeen years before Walt Disney World opened and transformed the state, so I’m not so sure about that claim. I remember a driving vacation my family took when I was fourteen (in 1973) from Pennsylvania to the Sunshine state and we didn’t even consider going; we drove right on past to Miami and the Keys. At any rate, I have a hard time thinking of Florida as an “enchanted land.” Though to be fair, beer-wise, things are a lot better there now than went I flew there once a month when BevMo opened a couple of stores in south Florida thanks to Cigar City and other new breweries.
Thursday’s ad is for Budweiser, from 1961. That’s quite a cheese spread she has going, there’s obviously a party about to happen. Good thing she has half quarts on hand. This party’s going to be off the hook.
Wednesday’s ad is for Schlitz, from 1960. “One of the Real Joys of Good Living” is apparently waking up at 11:45 p.m., putting on your robe and going downstairs to make a sandwich and have a beer for a late night snack. Hilarious, I’m usually still up well past midnight, but I do wish I had that robe.
Tuesday’s ad is for St. Benno-Bier, from 1913. Today’s is the feast day for St. Benno, who is a patron saint for Munich, Germany, as well as the patron of Dresden-Meissen, anglers and weavers. In 1913, Munich’s Löwenbräu brewery had a beer named for St. Benno and advertised it with this cool, but strange, poster.
Monday’s ad is for Ballantine Ale, from 1957. The ad claims that “American taste is returning to the genuine in food and drink,” to which it’s hard not to think that for 1957: “not yet.” But check out the woman in the green dress. Is she just incredibly happy to see everybody, or are they playing charades.
Sunday’s ad is for Ductillite by the Wheeling Steel Company, from 1937. With all that skin showing, I imagine that was quite the racy ad for 1937. A pair of young lover at the beach is completing their “outing” by introducing a third to the party. Their ménage à trois includes a “handy can of beer,” which is made of tin from Wheeling Steel, of course.
