I was raised on beer commercials.
From as far back as I can remember, I know I’ve seen plenty of beer commercials. Maybe more than usual, but that’s probably hard to gauge. From a very early age (probably shortly after birth), I’ve watched zillions of hockey, football, baseball games on TV, and then some. The first song I remember is the Hockey Night In Canada theme song and the second is likely “Da Do Ron Ron”. The third would be an amalgamation that I know as “beer rock”. Obviously one of the biggest advertisers during televised sports are beer companies.
Canadian beer commercials back in the 70’s and 80’s looked so cool. The always had the beer bottles lit from behind so that it would look “golden” and the sweat on the bottle would be like little crystals. I remember being six years old, eyeing one of my dad’s bottles of Labbatt 50 and being disapointed that it just looked like a cold dark brown bottle. It didn’t stop me from steeling the labels of the bottles during my parents’ get-togethers and camping trips, though.
And then there was the music. Nowadays, the beer commercials usually resort to generic hip-hop beats or metal guitar riffs on top of frat-boy humor. Bah. Back in my younger days, the beer companies used real songs more often than not. Maybe licensing was cheaper back then. Who knows? Anyway, an ad for Molson Golden might have blasted the Sex Pistol’s “God Save The Queen”, Carlseburg Light was rawked by Golden Earing’s “Radar Love” and you could pump your fist to Kiss’ “Detroit Rock City” for Labbatt 50.
The one recent bright spot was the use of Preston School Of Industry‘s “Solitaire” for a Labbatt Blue commercial last summer.
Beer advertisers in this country need to get back to “what beer’s all about” 😉
PS: Yes, I know this site looks different. Pateince folks. It’ll all get hooked up eventually. Baby shoes.
