For the last of Schlitz week, Friday’s ad is one from 1951. This one’s supposed to funny with the husband was letting his wife use a newspaper to keep it from raining on her hair and instead is holding their umbrella over the bottles of Schlitz in the bag in front of them. Oddly enough, the man with beer is holding his pipe in his mouth upside down. Is that perhaps to keep it dry?
Without intending it, this week has become a Schlitz week, and Thursday’s ad is one from 1956. The waiter’s uniform is hilarious. Are they on a cruise ship? And I love the hat on the woman. Actually, the expression on all their faces are priceless. The tagline, “Ask for Schlitz … see why it outsells all other beers” is a classic taunt. Schlitz is also featured on the cover of the menu that the man is holding.
Wednesday’s ad is also for Schlitz and is most likely from the late 1940s or early fifties. The tagline, “When gracious hospitality calls for the best …” is a little odd. The woman has a maid or servant, but they’re still serving their guests just the bottles. It’s funny how the definition of gracious wouldn’t include a glass for the beer, but it was a different time, I guess. And where exactly is the woman in the yellow dress looking? She’s looking past the maid, but at what?
Tuesday’s ad is also for Schlitz and is from the 1960s. It features a woman with an odd look on her face opening the pull-top cans, just because she likes to, or as it says in bold print, “I just love to open ’em.” There are 14 open cans of beer shown in the ad. What do you think, did she drink them all?
I’m not quite sure what to make of this conspiracy theory, sent in by a friend and loyal reader (thanks Jeff). While I’m a natural skeptic, I do think at least parts of many conspiracy theories contain a grain of truth. But here’s one I’ve never encountered, and I’ve read a bit about Prohibition.
According to Hidden History, and specifically Rockefeller, Ford and the Secret History of Alcohol, at least part of the reason prohibition was successful had to do with business and money — are you shocked or surprised? — and a desire to eliminate the competition. To wit:
John D. Rockefeller, under the ruse of Christian temperance, gave 4 million dollars to a group of old ladies and told them to fight for Prohibition (they successfully used the money to buy off Congress). Why? Rockefeller owned Standard Oil, the main company pushing gas as an alternative fuel to alcohol.
Essentially, it killed ethanol as an alternative fuel, which has only been talked about again recently, at least in the mainstream media.
How true is this account? Beats me, but it’s got plenty of ancillary links to explore, such as this interesting one, Hydrocarbons versus carbohydrates: the continuing battle in the United States, at Before the Well Runs Dry. Who knows, but it’s fun to speculate.
Monday’s ad is for Schlitz and will likely make anyone from CAMRA do a double take. Because the ad’s slogan is “That what I call real beer … no wonder it made Milwaukee famous.” But I don’t think most real ale or cask-conditioned fans are likely to agree. I’m not sure when the ads is from exactly, but given the scene I’d have to guess late 1940s or early fifties.
Our 25th Guinness poster by John Gilroy features a crab trying to figure out how to get hos claws around a pint of Guinness and, presumably, drink it. Perhaps that’s why the text at the bottom reads “Have this one with me!,” because he can’t do it alone.
Thursday’s ad is again for Pabst, from 1940. It’s one of a series from around that time period that were all inside of a blue ribbon. I love the slogan at the bottom: “It’s Blended … It’s Splendid!” The opening tagline is priceless, too. “Order it with Confidence … Serve it with Pride.” I love that smirk on the waiter. But how about the elaborate sandwich — 4 fancy toothpicks! And why is there no beer glass on that tray, just the bottle?
Wednesday’s ad is for Rheingold from 1969 and uses baseball and the signs of a good player, showing a few of the qualities one might look for in a good ballplayer. Then it applies the same idea to beer, saying “Look for the sign of a great beer! The Rheingold 10 minute head.” Look at that mug, it’s all head. A generous head, yes, but one that takes 10 minutes to subside (which is my presumption as to what they mean) seems like suspect advice to me. Two fingers is pretty much ideal for most beers, but more than that and you’ll lose too much carbonation and flavors, and Rheingold at that time probably didn’t have much to spare.
Tuesday’s ad is for Pabst, from 1947. It’s one of a series from around that time period that were all inside of a blue ribbon. I love the slogan at the bottom: “It’s Blended … It’s Splendid!” Also, check out the expression on the guy’s face as he’s about to bit into that fried chicken leg. Is it the beer he’s leering at, or could it be the gal in the tight red dress? Take a look. What do you think he’s looking at?
