Friday’s ad is for Schlitz, from the 1950s. Featuring a decked-out woman of leisure relaxing by the pool, appointed with fashionable digs and seemingly expensive accessories on the table in front of her and, most importantly, drinking a Schlitz. The tagline, “one of the finer things of life!,” tells you everything you need to know about why her hand is on her hip. She definitely a “have,” not one of those “have nots.”
Tuesday’s ad is for Schlitz, from 1951, showing a man who’s quite literally painted himself into a corner. But given that the title of the ad is “Situation well in hand!” I think he meant to do that, specifically so he could stop and enjoy a beer, or more, while he waited for the floor to dry. Good plan, don’t you think?
Monday’s ad is for Schlitz, from around election day in 1941. It shows a cross-section of 1940s persons waiting in line to vote. The year before, FDR won an unprecedented third term for U.S. president. So in 1941, I’m not sure what election would have been taking place or what the hot button issues of the day would have been, though I’m sure World War 2 was big on everybody’s mind. Given that voting districts are usually small neighborhoods, this one appears to be unusually diverse based on the appearance of the people in line. It’s amusing that the caricature of the “rich person” in bowler hat and monocle is the only one looking at his watch. He must be the only busy person with somewhere else to be.
But regardless of your socio-economic status, your party affiliation, or any other divisive category, please vote tomorrow. Cheers.
Monday’s ad is for Schlitz, from 1961. Showing a beach scene, with a woman in a red bathing suit peeking from underneath an umbrella, full beer mug in hand, with a hot dog and chips(?) on a plate resting on a picnic basket behind her. That sure looks like the makings of a terrific day at the beach.
Thursday’s ad is for Schlitz, and it’s probably just the artwork from a larger ad, although the headline is intact, “Leisure’s Light Refresher.” The ad shows a couple relaxing on the carpet, watching television on a tiny TV, which probably offers a clue as to when the ad is from. I can’t quite tell if they’re watching a dance show or a baseball game, although I’m leaning toward the latter.
Thursday’s ad is for Schlitz, from 1943. A bit of a play on words, it seems to equate Swallows, the birds, and swallowing beer, with the slogan “Happy Swallows! No bitterness.” A bit of a stretch?
Monday’s ad is for Schlitz, from 1945. Apparently, one in four bottles of Schlitz brewed was sent overseas for the troops at this point in the war, which was the last year before it ended.
Tuesday’s ad is for Schlitz, from 1951. The ad shows a circus elephant so enamored of a Schlitz billboard that he’s trying to drink the beer off of the ad. A policeman is running up to the elephant, but his trainer is just shrugging his shoulders. With beer this good, what can he do? At least that’s the idea. I’m not sure I’d take advice on what makes a good beer from an elephant.
Monday’s ad is for Schlitz, from 1951, showing a simple cartoon of the cow who apparently started the Chicago Fire in 1871. Today we know that’s probably not what happened, but the story of the ad is that with water in short supply after the fire, Schlitz sent a shipload of beer from Milwaukee. This was supposedly the first time their beer was sold outside their local market. Is it true? Who knows, why let the truth get in the way of a good story.
Tuesday’s ad is for Schlitz, from 1947. It’s from the series of mishaps where people are more concerned that nothing happens to the beer than whatever else is going wrong. In this one, it’s a windy day and a man carrying not one, but two, six-packs of Schlitz has just lost his hat. He could reach for it … or he could save the Schlitz from falling. The three by-standers all seem to be reaching to save the beer. It must have ben weird to live in a time when you expected to wear a hat at all times outdoors.
