august 1957 in ads

So last month I covered 1964 in ads, and it was so much fun (for me, anyway) that I had to do it again.  I chose August 1957.  The ads are from Life magazines, which are available online, and there were so many good ones that I had to split it up into two parts.  The first part focused on back to school ads, and you can see that post here.  This one...well, let's just say there are an awful lot of beer ads.

Enjoy.  (I did!)

(You might notice I've re-done the blog banner again.  I think the other was too vertically challenging.  I'll probably change it up six more times.)

Bedroom eyes and haystacks.  I get what you're trying to do here, Du Pont.  (And I like that scarf collar cardigan!)

I always love seeing ads for things I've sold in the shop.  I've sold a few pairs of Williams brand flats.  They're always really cute...and isn't her skirt great?

Yeah, sister.  If he's happy, you're happy, so if you know what's good for you, you'll let him smoke that nasty thing.

Like Oktoberfest.  Only really schlitzy.

I have to say, this does look really appealing.  I can't find anything to snark about here.

What's with the songs and these beer ads?  I bet Red Cap wasn't all that unusual, either, no matter what the song says.  I bet it tasted just like Hamm's and Schlitz.  What I do find unusual is the guy with the accordion.  Was that a thing at cookouts in the 1950s?  If so...awesome.  I do love the Red Cap label.

Hey, neat!  A beer ad directed at women.  Unless it's directed at dudes who like ladies in swim caps.  Whatever.  The ad copy is about quenching your thirst, and she's obviously had a workout.  Or is already a little bit drunk, maybe.

Cute shoes!  But the ad is confusing me.  (What's new.)  Why wouldn't a mother and daughter wear the same style shoe?  I mean, I've seen those Real Housewives shows.  Stripper heels know no age.  Why would the cute flats of the 1950s be different?

Yum.  I love burgers.  And A1 Sauce.  Also love the hookup of PBR and A1 in this ad.  Beer and food go together, might as well advertise together.  Oh wait--what's that copy say?  "When it's a meal mainly for men"--oh--"here's a top notcher combination."  Crap.  Guess I'll take my lame low notcher lady ass over to Eva Longoria's steakhouse for women, which appeals to my femaleness with such obviously lady-centric things as "smaller plates and portions," "a runway for fashion shows," "Cirque du Soleil-type performers," and most of all "cryogenic fog and rain curtains."  Gosh, I hope the rain is pink.  Actually, since I'm a lady and it's 1957 I'll just have a leaf of iceberg lettuce with some cottage cheese and a pineapple slice.  Thank you.

"WONDERFULLY...your gin drinks COME TO LIFE", grow to the size of water towers and take over the universe!  Why aren't these guys running and screaming?  Dudes.  There's a GIANT bottle of Seagram's and two mega cocktails right behind you.  And they're ALIVE!

Salem menthols.  Like a fresh mountain breeze.  During a forest fire.  Near a tar pit.  That they're attempting to put out with Listerine.

Can't say nothing bad about HoJo's.  And I'll just say here that I really enjoyed the Mad Men episode set there.

Oh, cute!  It's nice they're letting her drink some beer.  Although, really, she's just holding it aloft.  And it seems like he's kind of more into his beer than her.  Maybe things aren't so perfect under the surface.  Maybe she's handing that beer off to someone else.  Maybe she's about to pour it over his big dumb head.

I really like that lamp hanging over the dresser.  (Sorry to be all Brick Tamland "I love lamp"; I don't have anything else to say about this.  I only left it in because it was the only furniture ad that grabbed my eye, which is sad, because it is, like, 1957, right?)

Not as odd as the noir-ish Dan River Fabrics ad from this post...the ladies clothing shown here is great.  I especially love that wacky striped pants/hoodie number.

It's bean-time.  End.  Of.  Story.

Hey look!  It's the original nerd-spectacled, vinyl-loving hipsters!  (Oh, and also another disinterested boy.)

More.  Giant.  Booze.  I think all the sad ladies of the 1950s are swimming around in these huge dranky-dranks.

Geez.  Black Label is so low rent they can't even come up with a song.  Just a lousy four-word rhyme.

xo

K