Thursday’s ad is New York’s Knickerbocker Beer, from Jacob Ruppert Brewing. The ad’s from 1952, and I can’t understand why the New York Knicks don’t wear uniforms like the Knickerbocker (who they were named for) in the ad? It’s a mystery.
Beer In Ads #558: Vigor & Strength In Every Drop
Wednesday’s ad is Rainier Beer, from the Seattle Brewing & Malting Co. Like the other Rainier ad I’ve featured, For Pure Drink, it’s from the early years of the 20th century, probably in the first decade. It’s a simple ad showing a beautiful woman holding up a dainty glass of beer while leaning on a giant bottle of Rainier. And I love the message, which would be illegal in a beer ad today; “There’s New Vigor and Strength in Every Drop.”
Beer In Ads #557: Extra Refreshing Because It’s Extra Dry
Tuesday’s ad is for New York’s Rheingold Beer, featuring two celebrities in the 1960 ad. The celebrities are a famous couple: Geoffrey Holder and Carmen De Lavallade. You probably know Holder, even if you’re not familiar with his name, especially if you’re a James Bond fan. He was originally from Trinidad and played Baron Samedi in Live and Let Die. He’s the one with that great booming voice, which he used years later in a series of ads for 7Up. It was the “Uncola” series and his booming laugh ended each ad and had such memorable phrases as “crisp and clean, no caffeine” and “never had it, never will.” His wife, Carmen De Lavallade, was a famous dancer and in fact they met working on a broadway musical, the House of Flowers. This ad was done when they were both locally famous and just getting started with their careers. The setting seems to be a theater, as you can see the lights in the ceiling behind them. And I’ve played in enough musicals to recognize the object in the lower right, which is a pit orchestra stand to hold your music, with a small light to shine on the music so you can still see it when the stage is dark. And I love the tagline: “Extra refreshing because it’s Extra Dry!”
Beer In Ads #556: Bud’s Hammer Time
Monday’s ad is yet another from Budweiser’s “Where There’s Life ..” series. This one shows a man who’s trying to fix what to my eyes appears to be an old rotary telephone … with a hammer. I’m not sure that’s the right tool for the job. But based on the look on his face, I’m not sure he has his mind on what he’s doing anyway.
Guinness Ad #109: The Cellist
Our 109th Guinness ad is from around 1945, an original by John Gilroy. I’ve never seen a final version of this ad, but I have to assume it was used at some point. It shows a cellist so engrossed in his music, and so strong thanks to the Guinness under his music stand, that he’s sawed his cello in half. I didn’t realize horsehair was so sharp. The tagline is, of course, “Guinness for Strength.”
Beer In Ads #555: A Sunday Supper Success
Friday’s ad is for Pabst Blue Ribbon, from 1934, with nice alliteration. I like the description of the beer in the ad copy. “Animated amber and old gold, a crown of lacy foam, beautiful to behold, and all that it promises to the palate.”
Beer In Ads #554: Blatz Fashion Design
Thursday’s ad is for Blatz, whose 1949 claims they they were “Milwaukee’s first bottled beer.” It’s also a celebrity endorsement ad, albeit a rather odd choice. Perhaps there was a series of these done with Milwaukee residents, since the top line reads “I’m from Milwaukee and I ought to know…” The endorsement comes from local dress designer La Verne Sunde, whose “good taste” is demonstrated with inset photos of her fitting someone with a dress she’s created. I’m not quite sure how that translates to beer knowledge, but I guess it’s no sillier than a baseball player doing the same thing.
Beer In Ads #553: Budweiser’s Tossed Salad
Wedneday’s ad is for Budweiser, from their 1950s ad campaign “Where There’s Life ….” Like a lot of them, the ad copy talks about whether other brands list the ingredients on their label. While the woman is tossing a salad, the gentleman is pouring a Budweiser. Is is just me, or does he look a lt like Jeff Goldblum?
Beer In Ads #552: Russian Beer Queen
Tuesday’s ad is for a Russian brewer, though which one is a bit of a mystery, primarily because I don’t know the cyrillic alphabet. Though I’m pretty sure “Mockba” is Moscow, so that’s probably where the brewery is/was located. But the woman with the beer looks like she’s wearing a crown and holding a wreath of hops and barley.
Beer In Ads #551: It’s Time To Apply The Brakes
Monday’s ad is for the English beer Brakspear Bitter. Though the ad appears old, I think It’s actually a fairly recent ad that’s designed to look retro. The glassware looks too modern, too. Perhaps one of my friends from across the pond can set me straight on that point. Still, who wouldn’t like slowing down and having a few pints by the water?
