Friday’s ad is for Rheingold Beer, from 1958, and features Miss Rheingold from that year, Madelyn Darrow. In this ad, she’s on a camping, fishing and canoeing trip, though she’s apparently not doing much of the heavy lifting, as a strapping young man is carrying the canoe for her. No wonder she’s smiling. But take a closer look at his expression. No smiles there.
Tuesday’s ad is for Rheingold Beer, from 1958, and features Miss Rheingold from that year, Madelyn Darrow. In this ad, she’s on the bow of a fireboat, at sea, possibly in New York Harbor, as behind her you can make out a shower of water undoubtedly from other fireboats. It suggests that they’re putting on some kind of water show, although I’m not sure why her own boat’s water gun is silent, though at least one writer thinks it was a clever way to sneak sex into the ad with such a phallic image, although in Sex in Advertising: 10 Strangely Sexual Booze Ads from the 1940 – 50s he surprisingly fails to mention what the spray imagery might represent. Any ideas?
Tuesday’s ad is for Rheingold Beer, from 1947, and features Miss Rheingold from that year, Michaele Fallon. In this ad, she’s just squeezed off a few rounds of target practice, dressed in a green suit and matching beret that would have made Robin Hood proud. And her shooting wasn’t half bad, either, putting all of her shots in the black center portion of the target.
Tuesday’s ad is for Schaefer Beer, from 1961, and features actor Basil Rathbone, perhaps most famous for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in numerous films. Apparently, according to Rathbone, Schaefer was “the Finest beer I ever tasted!”
Monday’s ad is another one for Rheingold Beer, this one from 1961, and features Miss Rheingold from that year, Janet Mick. In this ad, she’s taking a break from bowling, and enjoying a Club sandwich with her mug of Rheingold beer. I love this tagline, used in a few of these ads, “Friendly, fresh’ning, happily dry — that’s fine cold Rheingold.”
Sunday’s ad is another one for Rheingold Beer, this one from 1962, and features Miss Rheingold from that year, Kathy Kersh. In this ad, she’s steering a small cart of Rheingold’s Golden Bock beer, which is being pulled by a small ram. The ad seems to suggest it’s the second year they made this seasonal beer, which is interesting. I don’t think of the sixties as a time for seasonal beers, but who knows? Maybe more breweries did actually dabble in seasonal beers.
Saturday’s ad is another one for Rheingold Beer, this one from 1954, and features Miss Rheingold from that year, Adrienne Garrett. In this ad, she’s gardening in her matching apron (or is that a skirt?) and gloves.
Friday’s Independence Day ad is for Ballantine Ale, from 1955. That’s a happy-looking man watching the 4th of July fireworks, as he sips his beer. That’s ale, brother! Happy Independence Day!
Thursday’s ad is for Rheingold Beer, from 1961, when beer, and other things, were still “friendly.” In this case, not just friendly, but also “fresh’ning” and “happily dry,” too. Interesting to see pizza and beer, I remember pizza still be fairly exotic at least until the 1970s.
Wednesday’s ad is yet another one for Rheingold Beer, this one also from 1959, and features Miss Rheingold from that year, Robbin Bain. In this ad, she’s “aiming for refreshment,” but the guy behind her is carrying the gun, while she’s got a portable chair in her two gloved hands. And how about that nifty green hat?
