Old Dutch Beer Zip-Por Can Ad – September 13, 1963

Every time I think I’ve done my last Old Dutch Beer post, I come up with yet another ad that sheds more light on the Old Dutch legacy, further establishing this blog as the place to come to learn about this legendary brew. (I know, a dubious distinction at best.)

In this case, the ad – which ran in the Lorain Journal on Sept. 13, 1963 – shows my parents' favorite beer in a strange advertising period. 

The Findlay, Ohio brewery had merged with International Breweries of Detroit around 1957. Thus the classic, longstanding Old Dutch label featuring the elderly German couple had been revamped to conform to IB’s standard generic design. You can barely make them out in the oval near the top of the can.

Here’s a better look at the label design, courtesy of Breweriana.com.

During this time period, the advertising treated Old Dutch as just another beer in the International Breweries family. The ad at the top of this post promotes the Zip-Por Can, which seems to be a variation of the pull-top can, which was patented in 1963 (according to this Wiki entry).

Here’s a similar ad for Bavarian’s Select Beer, another IB product, that ran in the Cincinnati Enquirer on August 19, 1963.

Anyway, within a couple years the classic label was restored, and creative advertising campaigns (such as this one) helped to re-establish its popularity, at least on Skyline Drive.