Friday’s ad is for Budweiser, from 1946. It’s a beautiful illustration showing a colorful sunset as a young boy — looking every bit like Huck Finn — is returning from a day of fishing, with a large fish in one hand and a rudimentary handmade fishing pole in the other. Behind him, two adults sporting more sophisticated fishing equipment look on bewildered, presumably because their fishing hasn’t been as successful. The text begins. “You fish in vain for words to describe your first big catch.” Okay. It seems an odd way to sell beer, but okay. But I love the tagline at the bottom. “Every sip tells you what words can’t — why Budweiser is something more than beer … a tradition.” Essentially, they’re saying tradition is more than beer. That’s another tortured slogan that doesn’t really seem to make a lot of sense.

Wednesday’s ad is another Budweiser ad, this one from 1957, part of the “Where there’s life” series. It’s a tight shot, with a warmly-dressed model shown in close-up amid autumn leaves as her beau pours out a can of Budweiser into her glass, as she look up longingly. Not sure what to make of this one, but something just doesn’t feel right.

Tuesday’s ad features a quote and drawing of Anheuser-Busch founder Adolphus Busch, who was born today in 1839. It’s kind of a funny quote, and I can only assume it was made up in 1976 by A-B’s advertising department for a centennial ad. “It’s good, this new beer of mine. Really good. Some day it will be world renowned … I think I’ll call it Budweiser.” Even if he ever thought or said (to whom?) something so ridiculous in 1876, who wrote it down?

Wednesday’s Independence Day ad is also from 1976, a series of bicentennial stickers for Budweiser’s 70s pitchman Budman. The six are known collectively as the “Budman Patriot Set.” Happy Independence Day!

The Fife Player

Crossing the Delaware?

Flying the flag

Betsey “Bud” Ross

Paul Revere lighting the lamp in the North Church.

Fixing the Liberty Bell?

Monday’s ad is from 1956 and is for Budweiser. It’s a pretty cool image — an illustration I believe — showing several couples dancing with a band behind them providing music to tap their toes to. But the scene is distorted because we’re seeing it through the golden hues of a glass of beer.

Friday’s ad is our fifth and last ad for this week from Budweiser’s long-running “where there’s life … there’s Bud” series. This one’s from 1957 and is another where the woman looks like she’s kissing, rather than sipping, the beer, as the man watches oer her, smiling, with the empty can in his hand. At least he’s not still pouring it, which is the case in so many of these ads.

Thursday’s ad is the fourth this week for Budweiser in their long-running “where there’s life … there’s Bud” series. This one’s from 1959 and features a night scene on what looks like a cattle drive or perhaps more likely a dude ranch. I wonder how they get the models to make those priceless faces, the man’s smirk (doesn’t he look a bit like Charlton Heston) and her unbridled glee. Then there’s that pour again, the glass already full but still pouring. Surely I can’t be the first person to notice how ridiculously impossible that would be, at least without making a mess and spilling the beer.

Wednesday’s ad is again for Budweiser, still another in their long-running “where there’s life … there’s Bud” series. It looks like that’s our theme this week. In this one, a man stares greedily at the beer being poured into the glass, while spearing his Thanksgiving ham. But man, oh man, that’s a scary looking stare. And this is also common for these ads. Notice how the glass is already full but there’s a steady stream still pouring out of the can? How can 12 ounces of beer have already been poured into the pilsner glass and yet there’s still quite a bit left in the can? Because if it was almost empty, the stream from the can would be a dribble, at best, wouldn’t it?

Tuesday’s ad is for Budweiser, yet another in their long-running “where there’s life … there’s Bud” series. It frankly looks a little too close to dark to still be out on a cycling picnic. They both look like they bought their hair helmets from the same wig shop, they’re the same color and neither look they would be effected in the least by anything less than a gail force wind. He’s still pouring beer into that full beer glass as she sips from it. Honestly, it looks more like she’s kissing it than actually drinking from the glass. So I doubt it won’t spill over before he’s done pouring.

Monday’s ad is for Budweiser, another in their long-running “where there’s life … there’s Bud” series. Based on the man with the goofy grin’s fashion sense, I’d say 1950s. I don’t think you have to tell a man in a hammock (I know, my kids gave me one for Father’s Day yesterday) to “RELAX,” but that’s how they phrased their copy. Since Budweiser listed their ingredients on the label, you could be “sure,” sure of what exactly, I can’t really say.