Thursday’s holiday ad is also for Schlitz from 1948 and is from their “I Was Curious” ad campaign, where someone who’s never had it before finally “tasted it” and now they “know why Schlitz is … The Beer that made Milwaukee Famous.” The only difference is that this time it was during a Christmas party.
Wednesday’s holiday ad is for Schlitz from 1951 and shows an apartment building with a myriad of different Christmas celebrations, but all of them, of course, involving Schlitz.
Friday’s holiday ad is a pair of Schlitz winter ads from 1958. They’re almost identical, except that one show a feminine hand while the other a masculine one. The backgrounds re also slightly different, though both show a snowy winter wonderland.
The Female Version:
The Male Version:
Thursday’s holiday ad is for Schlitz, from 1955. The slogan is “Holidays call for the finer things in life,” and since I’m in my way to a fancy party tonight, this ad made the most sense. Too true.
Monday’s holiday ad is for Schlitz from 1950. It features a couple window shopping during the Christmas season, with the stereotyped woman eying the mink fur in the store window while the man checks out the Schlitz display next door. Who wouldn’t be thirsty after a long day of shopping?
Thursday’s ad is for Schlitz Famo, from around 1918. Famo was their non-alcohol beer during Prohibition, or as they referred to it, “a pure non-intoxicating beverage.” I’m not sure what the tie-in was with the man in uniform, though it was during World War I, and since today is Veteran’s Day — originally Armistice Day for that war’s end.
Most of the beer companies scrambled to come up with a N/A brand in the years just before Prohibition as they finally started to see the writing on the wall. For an interesting overview of the names they came up with, check out Prohibition and Near-Beer Names.
During the early part of Prohibition, brewers at the time were emphasizing cleanliness by saying that “Schlitz Famo goes through a pulp filter–then through a sterilized pipe line to glass-lined tanks in a cool cellar for aging. A sterilized line carries it to automatic filling machines containing sterilized bottles, thence to Pasteurization” They further stressed the nutritional values of their products. The company boasted that Schlitz Famo is more than a drink. It is a food. Every time you take a glass of Schlitz Famo you are taking something to eat. Every compound essential to the human body is present in Schlitz Famo–protein, carbohydrates, mineral matter and water–the only factor absent being fats, and they are formed in the body from the carbohydrates. These elements repair and build up broken-down tissues and impart to the body heat and muscular energy. That’s why we say Schlitz Famo is a worth-while cereal beverage. It is non-intoxicating. It is healthful, refreshing and satisfying. It has the wonderful hop aroma.
Monday’s ad is for Schlitz, from — I’m guessing — the swinging, sophisticated sixties with a play on their famous slogan “when you’re out of Schlitz you’re out of beer” being rendered more proper, as “When One Is Out Of Schlitz, One Is Out Of Beer.”
With the World Series and baseball ads plus Halloween this weekend, I’m doubling up on ads so I can highlight both baseball and Halloween-themed ones. Today’s Halloween ad is from 1956 and is for Schlitz, depicting some pumpkin carving for Halloween. And to help their creativity along, they’re enjoying a couple of cans of Schlitz, poured into tall pilsner glasses.
And here’s just the artwork from the ad.
Friday’s beer and baseball ad is the ninth one featured going into the World Series. The ad is from 1951 and is for Schlitz. It features two players — or perhaps managers? — arguing about something while the ump keeps on smiling, as he pours himself a bottle of Schlitz.
Friday’s ad is for Schlitz from 1965 and features an ugly clown, although I pretty much hate all clowns so I find them all scary and a not a bit funny. Sad, really. And this one’s no different, with the text “What makes the clown smile? Schlitz. Greatest beer on Earth.” The ad also mentioned an upcoming circus parade later that year in Milwaukee, on July 5.
