Old Dutch Beer Ad – April 15, 1965

April 15, 1965 ad from the Lorain Journal

Just in time to take your mind off the unpleasantness of Tax Day 2015, here's a vintage ad for Old Dutch Beer. It ran in the Lorain Journal on April 15, 1965 – 50 years ago today.

(Old Dutch Beer is one of those topics that keeps popping up on this blog again and again over the years.)

Why is this ad interesting to me? Because it's part of an Old Dutch advertising campaign that seems very foreign to me – and I don't mean Dutch.   

Courtesy taverntrove.com

By 1957, the company that produced Old Dutch Beer – the Krantz Brewing Corporation – had merged with International Breweries of Detroit. Sadly, after the merger, the classic Old Dutch Beer label was revamped to conform to the standard IBI label design. The trademark old German couple was reduced to what was basically a cameo appearance on the label.

At left is a photo of the bottle in the ad, courtesy of www.taverntrove.com

The above ad reflects that change in the brewery's ownership and consequently the marketing of Old Dutch Beer. The typeface of the Old Dutch logo is different. So is the classic tagline. Instead of "The Good Beer," it reads: "The Good-time Beer." Apparently (and mercifully), these changes didn't last. 

Unfortunately, the Findlay brewery didn't either. 

In March 1966 – about a year after this ad – International Breweries announced the closing of the Findlay plant. The Old Dutch brand was sold to the Associated Brewing Company of Detroit. Later it would have even more owners, including Queen City Brewing Company and lastly, Pittsburgh Brewing Company. 

At least these new owners realized that there was still a lot of value and goodwill left in the brand, and the classic Old Dutch label design and tagline were restored (below).