New York Central WWII-Era Ads
Category: Advertising
Take One Down, Pass It Around
These young men may have been in the Lone Star State, but they were swilling brown bottles of the beer that made Milwaukee famous.
Schlitz may not be your first choice for ale, but they had some great ads back in the day.
The women above look surprised, but this gal looks downright mischievous.
And this one is great as an indicator of the era.
The Last Of The Famous International Milk Bars
The Herald Sun declared this milk bar in Brunswick (a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria) “a sight unlikely to last much into the 21st century.”
But what is a milk bar? Those two words don’t go together. Perhaps a milk chocolate bar, like a satisfying Snickers (not fun-size please). But when I think of a bar (and I do, often), milk is not included. No dairy, no cream, no White Russians for me. Just the pints, ma’am. And maybe a whiskey sour. But certainly not a glass of milk.
Actually, the USA does have seven bakeries called milk bar, which its own website praises as “a culinary empire and lifestyle brand founded by award-winning pastry chef and masterchef judge christina tosi.” You see how they did that? They used lowercase on her name to balance out the pretentiousness of overpriced dessert. Bad grammar doesn’t fix the fact that a SIX INCH birthday cake is $50.50 online. Holy Mary mother of God, I saw an 8″ fresh fruit tart at Sprouts yesterday for $6.99. Now what’s the better deal? Sorry, it’s just that when I see terms like “lifestyle brand,” I throw up a little in my mouth.
But back to real milk bars. It’s actually quite simple. They were general stores/corner stores, where one could go to pick up groceries such as milk. They are being replaced by more modern convenience stores such as 7-11, and the ones that do exist serve mainly ice cream and milkshakes. Below is said to be the first recorded milk bar in Australia.
Englishman James Meadow Charles opened the first milk bar in 1930 as the “Lake View Milk Bar” at Bangalore, India. The concept spread to the UK, where it became a morally acceptable alternative to the pub–a place to get diabetes instead of alcohol poisoning. By 1936, over 1,000 milk bars had opened nationally. Sounds like a perfect place for teens to gather.
And this one is full of Australian brands of which I’ve never heard: Streets, Peter Jackson, Tarax?
He’s a cute little bugger, no?
1916 Election: Peace With Honor
One hundred years ago, incumbent President Woodrow Wilson used newfangled machines on wheels to get his message of peace across to the common man (not woman, of course; they were still unable to vote). While Europe had already entered WWI, Wilson remained popular with his campaign slogan “He kept us out of war.” He defeated Supreme Court Justice Charles Evans Hughes, the Republican candidate, by a narrow margin. And then he sent our boys off to war the very next April.
You can’t always stay neutral, folks.
Sea Brisket: Heavy Half, Extra Lean, Outside Cut
Barry’s Shine Parlor, July 1929
So much of this pre-Depression image is foreign to me. I’ve never worn a swimming cap in public. Actually, the woman near the eyeglasses display is wearing a cloche hat, designed to let the public know that her hair was bobbed in Flapper style and she was au courant. I bet she could Charleston in that dress like nobody’s business.
I’ve also never had my shoes shined. Up top, it advertises the service as free. Surely you’d have to be buying some of those Goodrich rubber heels to get the deal. And you’d need to tip.
“Pressing while you wait”–never done that, either. I’ll come back later, thanks. And along the far right side, it reads “Heyers Prickly Heat Powder.”
Have you ever applied prickly heat powder to your rash? Gotten your shoes shined? Bobbed your hair? Used Flapper terms like “bee’s knees” and “cat’s pajamas”? Lived through the summer of 1929, believing all was well, only to have the stock market crash three months later?
Milk And Corn Flakes
Dave’s Black Spasm Incomparable One-Man Band
The small-hatted, accordion-squeezing Dave traveled all the way from Tulsa, Oklahoma to perform at Houston’s Weber’s Pleasure & Beer Garden in October 1933.
Vegas, Baby
More From A Bright Spot
I’ve never been as far north as Wisconsin, and my only knowledge of Milwaukee is this:
But I loved that show and wanted to visit Milwaukee to see what all the fuss was about.
By the power of old National Geographic mags, I’ve learned it’s the home of original copper kettles at Pabst’s brewhouse.
I don’t know about your neck of the woods, but in Texas, PBR specials are rampant at bars and poolhalls. It’s oft times sipped ironically in tall boy cans by those with burly hipster beards, horn-rim glasses, and cuffed skinny jeans. But who can argue with these daily specials?
$2 Lone Star, PBR & Ziegenbock
Oh, and sometimes this happens.
That defeats the purpose of keeping the ale chilled but surely it would woo all the single ladies.
However, let’s not forget it was Schlitz that made Milwaukee famous.
Below you see the smiles of execs from both Miller and Schlitz making a toast to Summerfest, an annual brouhaha of merriment, back when Carter was president.
And what could go better with Milwaukee beer than Milwaukee brats?
Such a friendly place all around!
California, Here I Come*
“When Your Throat Feels Scratchy As An Old 78”
To be honest, I had a 7-Up for breakfast (my tummy was unsettled), and I have to say that this colorful ad was more refreshing than the actual drink. The taste was meh at best (fake lemon-limey), and several hours later, life is certainly not a song. Unless the song is that “I’d like to teach the world to sing” ditty for Coke. I drank a Coke for lunch and feel infinitely muchor mejor.
But this ad is such fun. Her sassy response to his implied inquiry (“Actually, I do know how to work the hi-fi, thank you…), the conversation behind closed doors, her poofy braid pony, the Glenn Miller album askew on the wall, his tolerant look (like he should just humor her until the sun goes down and it’s time to trade green soda bottles for brown Hamm’s beer bottles), how his wool sweater looks as scratchy as the throat the ad references, and all the woody orange-yellows! Cheers!
I Don't Get It 