Wednesday’s ad is for Acme beer, from the 1950s or 50s. It’s another one by the famous pinup artist Alberto Vargas, this one depicting a blonde going over a fence, about to rip her short skirt, while carrying a bag of Acme beer cans and bottles.
Beer In Ads #917: Fishing For Beer Cans
Tuesday’s ad is for Schlitz, from 1953. Showing a couple fishing a river, the woman is on the bank fishing a can of Schlitz out of a picnic basket to tempt the man out of the water. Perhaps it’s time to create the scene in the inset, frying up the fish.
Beer In Ads #916: Tally Ho
Monday’s ad is for Budweiser, from 1949. Part of Bud’s long-running “There’s nothing like it” series, but is odd for depicting a more traditionally English fox and hounds hunt, which I suspect was not part of ordinary life for most, if even many, Americans in late forties. More curious still, is in the text at the bottom it reads: “There’s more Budweiser now — and there will be still more as our expansion program continues.” That seems like an odd message to be telling consumers, but maybe this ad was intended for a narrower audience.
Beer In Ads #915: That Man — He’s Done It Again!
Friday’s ad is for Schlitz, from 1950. In the wonderful illustration, it appears that a woman has discovered that her husband has emptied the refrigerator of food and filled it with Schlitz beer. Surveying the scene with a new bag of groceries on the table, not to mention other food scattered about the kitchen, all she can do is exclaim. “That Man — He’s Done It Again!”
Beer In Ads #914: Eberhardt & Ober Brewing Co.
Thursday’s ad is for the Eberhardt & Ober Brewing of Allegheny, Pennsylvania, from around 1890. While the brewery closed in the 1950s, some of the buildings are still in use by the craft brewery Penn Brewery. They even auctioned one of the original lithographs in 2008.
And here’s another version that’s a little brighter.
Beer In Ads #913: Ethel Merman Has Graduated To Carling’s
Wednesday’s ad is for Carling’s Red Cap Ale, from 1950. The ad is graduation-themed, with a disembodied Ethel Merman wearing a mortarboard hat with a tiny red cap on top. I love the way they characterize the beer as a “light-hearted ale.” For some reason that sounds better than light-bodied.
Beer In Ads #912: C.L. Centlivre Brewing Co.
Tuesday’s ad is for the C.L. Centlivre Brewing Co. of Fort Wayne, Indiana, from around 1880. It’s another one of those wonderful illustrations of the industrial magnificence that old breweries used to do back in the 19th century. It was done by the Henderson Lithographing Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Beer In Ads #911: Is This Something Special?
Monday’s ad is for Ballantine Ale, from the 1950s, I believe. To the question “Is This Something Special?” a couple of men sitting on a sofa at a dinner party, the other answers. “It certainly is … that’s Ballantine Ale.” I sure miss dressing up every time a few friends come over for a beer. Oh, wait. That never happened. But that would be special, wouldn’t it.
Beer In Ads #910: The Christening of Kip’s Bay
Friday’s ad is for Knickerbocker beer, from 1953. It’s number 5 in a series, although I’ve only seen two of them so far, and I don’t know how many are in the series of ads. The ones I’ve seen depict scenes from the history of New York. This fifth one is about the Christening of Kip’s Bay, and the art for the ad was painted by Lumen Martin Winter. “Kips Bay was an inlet of the East River running from what is now 32nd Street to 37th Street.” According to Wikipedia:
Kips Bay was the site of the Landing at Kip’s Bay (September 15, 1776), an episode of the American Revolutionary War and part of the New York and New Jersey campaign. About 4,000 British Army troops under General William Howe landed at Kips Bay on September 15, 1776, near what is now the foot of East 33rd Street. Howe’s forces defeated about 500 American militiamen commanded by Colonel William Douglas. The American forces immediately retreated and the British occupied New York City soon afterward.
Beer In Ads #909: The Geneseecret
Thursday’s ad is for Genesee beer, from around the late 1969s or 70s. Showing a couple fishing while perched on a pier, with a Genesee cooler between them. The Geneseecret is apparently is “The Good Time Taste of Genesee Beer.” They don’t even appear to be paying any attention whatsoever to their fishing.
