Wednesday’s ad is for Genesee Beer, from 1961 — 50 years ago. Showing a very odd-looking couple in front of an antique car — Model T? [What I don’t know about cars would fill a book.] They just look way too happy, especially him. He looks deranged. Great copy: “Reward yourself with Genesee: enjoyment pure and simple. Beer with a bracing bonus of brightness in every bottle to make it fresher and friendlier … naturally more refreshing.”
Tuesday’s holiday ad is for Falstaff, from 1950. With a great tagline, “Falstaff’s Got Something!, I also love how they characterize the beer. “It’s Dry, Light but Lively.” And it sure looks that couple has been hitting the bottle as they put up their decorations. A wink and a nod ….
Monday’s holiday ad — it’s Boxing Day — is from 1930s Britain and is, I believe, an industry advertisement extolling the virtues of beer. And this one is suggesting that even for festive occasions, beer is best. Happy Boxing Day.
Our 99th Guinness ad is a black and white print advertisement that ran in Life magazine in December of 1940. Showing a tuckered out store Santa Claus being torn apart by the little kiddies hoping to tell him what they want for Christmas. I’m not sure how that behavior squares with needing to be good, for goodness sale. But the ad suggests, “When you’re Tired enjoy a Guinness.” And I love their description: “Guinness looks, tastes and is different from every other malt beverage. It is dry, racy — hearty and nourishing!”
Friday’s holiday ad is for Rhode Island’s Narragansett Beer, which has made a come back in recent years. It originally “appeared in the December 23, 1945 issue of The Boston Herald.” Offering “Holiday Greetings from Narragansett,” and also featured a wonderful painting of an idyllic winter scene.
According to Narragansett’s blog, the “painting is titled, ‘On The Post Road,’ and was created by artist, Harold Breut.”
Thursday’s holiday ad is for Stag Beer, from 1958. Maybe it’s just me, but a treasured stag traditions doesn’t sound too wholesome to me, especially when the ad shows a comely lass standing under the mistletoe holding a beer in her hand. So if I understand this scene correctly, a beautiful woman is offering me a beer, and by taking it I’ll be under the mistletoe, so I’ll also have to kiss her, as well. Okay, I take it all back; now that is a treasured tradition.
Wednesday’s holiday ad is for Falstaff, from 1914. Nice to see that after Santa came down the chimney, he had something other than milk and cookies waiting for him.
Tuesday’s holiday ad is for the Canadian beer Dow Ale, which until around 1966, was the most popular beer in Quebec. This ad looks to be a little earlier, probably in the 1950s. Given that red is he only color (apart from black, of course) in the ad, it’s curious that they didn’t make Santa’s suit red, too, but I suppose they wanted to keep the focus on the beer. “Look what they’ve left me me!” I hope every home didn’t leave Santa a case. He’d never get to all the houses in one night, or he’d probably get pulled over by the air force for flying erratically.
Monday’s holiday ad is for Miller High Life showing an idyllic country scene complete with newly fallen snow, a barn and silo, with a small chapel in the distance, as a horse and sleigh pulls two couples through the white landscape. Ah, Christmas like it never was.
Our 98th Guinness ad shows a happy and satisfied-looking can of Guinness relaxing at home in a green comfy chair. The slogan for the ad is “Guinness at Home.”
