
Tuesday’s ad for Pabst Blue Ribbon, from 1954. Part of PBR’s “What’ll You Have” series, this one is tennis-themed, with a white tennis sweater emblazoned with Pabst’s tagline by the courts, back in the days when they still used white balls and … well, wore sweaters. Still not quite sure what made the beer better, though.
Beer In Ads #886: Mr. Basketball

Monday’s ad is for Pabst Blue Ribbon, from 1950. It’s one of Pabst’s “What’ll You Have” ads, but featuring a sports celebrity, George Mikan. In post-war America, Mikan was known as “Mr. Basketball” and was the Lakers’ center when they still played in a state with lots of lakes. He’s considered a pioneer of modern basketball, and retired as the all-time leading scorer. The NBA actually altered the rules of the game to reduce his dominance and he was directly responsible for the three-point line was and partially for the shot clock. And apparently he drank Pabst.

Beer In Ads #884: Old-Time Flavor Likes You Best!
Beer In Ads #875: Pabst Fish Fry
Beer In Ads #867: Happiest Haul Of The Day!
Pabst’s Blue Ribbon Competition
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Mental Floss had an interesting story about how Pabst Brewing Co. got the blue ribbon that graces every bottle and can of their beer. In How Did Pabst Blue Ribbon Win its Blue Ribbon? author Matt Soniak details the events at the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago that led to Pabst claiming total victory and justifying that blue ribbon in the years that followed.

Beer In Ads #820: When It’s “Your Turn” To Entertain…

Monday’s ad is for Pabst Blue Ribbon, from 1954. With the title “When It’s ‘Your Turn’ To Entertain…” and part of their long-running “What’ll You Have” series, they suggest that just what you need to to “dazzle your friends” is a Virginia ham with a special glaze made with beer. The ad helpfully includes the recipe to make the “Blue Ribbon Ham Glaze” to make your party a bit hit.

Beer In Ads #817: Playtime For Gregory Peck
Beer In Ads #776: Chicken In The Basket

Monday’s ad is for Pabst, from 1954, part of their “What’ll You Have” series. The ad features a glass of Pabst paired with “Chicken in the Basket.” That’s some shiny-looking chicken. One interesting thing about the ad copy is I’m used to beer being “paired” with food, but here they say this. “Teamed with any food, distinctive Pabst Blue Ribbon makes meal-time an extra pleasure.” That’s an interesting way of putting it. One’s not paired with the other, but instead the two teamed up together.






