Sunday’s ad is for Budweiser, from the 1950s. This is a postcard showing the St. Louis brewery complex from above, but is not a photo. It’s an illustration, and these were a common way to advertise a brewery then, used not just as postcards, but as posters, calendars and other large formats that could be framed. I think they’re incredibly beautiful and wish someone would put together a coffee table book of these brewery works of art.
Saturday’s ad is for Schlitz, from 1947. A man wearing tweed in, of course, what looks to be a library, holds up his glass of beer to inspect it. But I love the opening quote in the ad copy. “Opening a bottle of Schlitz is like opening a familiar and well-loved book.”
Friday’s ad is for Hamm’s, from 1950. Showing bottles of “Hamm’s Preferred Stock Beer,” with a single can hiding behind them, on a silver tray, this is another case of physics run amok. The can looks like it hasn’t been opened yet, and the two open bottles are each about three-quarters full, yet the two glasses on the tray are filled to the brim. So either they’re tiny glasses (although they look proportionally the right size) or where did all the beer come from? This is a typical oddity in ads from this time period.
Thursday’s ad is again for Schlitz, from 1958 (though parts of it are from previous years). Actually, it’s an advertising piece — a pamphlet or brochure — from their wonderful ad campaign, one of my all-time favorites, Schlitzerland. This piece, entitled “Schlitzerland, U.S.A., or how to entertain Schlitzfriends,” gives advice, along with songs, or how to throw various types of parties successfully. This is page twenty — the last page — with the tenth song, “Be a Schlitzer … Be Refreshed,” an original tune. Who’s thirsty now, after all that singing?
Wednesday’s ad is again for Schlitz, from 1958 (though parts of it are from previous years). Actually, it’s an advertising piece — a pamphlet or brochure — from their wonderful ad campaign, one of my all-time favorites, Schlitzerland. This piece, entitled “Schlitzerland, U.S.A., or how to entertain Schlitzfriends,” gives advice, along with songs, or how to throw various types of parties successfully. This is pages eighteen and nineteen, with the ninth song, “Schlitzingtime,” sung to the tune of “Jingle Bells.” The headline is “How to Schlitzcelebrate holidays, or Schlitzertainment for special occasions.” While it’s clear that this is about Christmas, notice they never mention it, being sensitive to people of all faiths decades before the “War in Christmas” was declared by the wingnuts. And I certainly love a tradition that involves hops and kissing and mistletoe.
Tuesday’s ad is again for Schlitz, from 1958 (though parts of it are from previous years). Actually, it’s an advertising piece — a pamphlet or brochure — from their wonderful ad campaign, one of my all-time favorites, Schlitzerland. This piece, entitled “Schlitzerland, U.S.A., or how to entertain Schlitzfriends,” gives advice, along with songs, or how to throw various types of parties successfully. This is pages sixteen and seventeen, with the eighth song, “Hail, Hail, The Schlitz Is Here,” sung to the tune of “Hail, Hail, The Gang’s All Here.” The headline is “Fun on the Schlitzyard line, or Schlitzrah for our side.” This one’s all about watching your favorite sports at the local tavern, “with Schlitz and chips for everyone.” I am so there.
Monday’s ad is again for Schlitz, from 1958 (though parts of it are from previous years). Actually, it’s an advertising piece — a pamphlet or brochure — from their wonderful ad campaign, one of my all-time favorites, Schlitzerland. This piece, entitled “Schlitzerland, U.S.A., or how to entertain Schlitzfriends,” gives advice, along with songs, or how to throw various types of parties successfully. This is pages fourteen and fifteen, with the seventh song, “Happy Schlitzday,” sung to the tune of “Old MacDonald Had A Farm.” The headline is “Give a happy Schlitzday party, or Birthday time is Schlitzing time.” I guess they didn’t want to pay the copyright fees for Happy Birthday.
Sunday’s ad is again for Schlitz, from 1958 (though parts of it are from previous years). Actually, it’s an advertising piece — a pamphlet or brochure — from their wonderful ad campaign, one of my all-time favorites, Schlitzerland. This piece, entitled “Schlitzerland, U.S.A., or how to entertain Schlitzfriends,” gives advice, along with songs, or how to throw various types of parties successfully. This is pages twelve and thirteen, with the sixth song, “S-C-H-L-I-T-Z,” sung to the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” The headline is “Backyard Schlitzecue, or Fresh air makes the Schlitzthirst grow.” And yes the couple throwing the BBQ in their backyard are still wearing their outfits.
Saturday’s ad is again for Schlitz, from 1958 (though parts of it are from previous years). Actually, it’s an advertising piece — a pamphlet or brochure — from their wonderful ad campaign, one of my all-time favorites, Schlitzerland. This piece, entitled “Schlitzerland, U.S.A., or how to entertain Schlitzfriends,” gives advice, along with songs, or how to throw various types of parties successfully. This is pages ten and eleven, with the fifth song, “Come All You Happy People.” The headline is “Have A Neighborhood Schlitzfest, or the Afternoon Schlitzpause.” The couple in lederhosen and a dirndl are apparently handing out cans of Schlitz around the neighborhood, which is supposedly “Schlitzneighborly.” I’m not sure that’s the word I’d use.
Friday’s ad is again for Schlitz, from 1958 (though parts of it are from previous years). Actually, it’s an advertising piece — a pamphlet or brochure — from their wonderful ad campaign, one of my all-time favorites, Schlitzerland. This piece, entitled “Schlitzerland, U.S.A., or how to entertain Schlitzfriends,” gives advice, along with songs, or how to throw various types of parties successfully. This is pages eight and nine, with the fourth song, “A Schlitzing We Will Go,” sung to the tune of “A Hunting We Will Go.” The headline is “How to have a Schlitznic, or Fun by the Schlitzshore” and I love their advice on how to keep beer cold at the hot summer beach: “Wrap them in several layers of newspaper — they’re stay cold for hours.” Um, seriously? I don’t think they’d stay cold for minutes wrapped in newspaper. Unless they made newspaper out os different paper back in the fifties, I’m pretty sure it’s not a good thermal insulator.
