When There Was Absolutely No Truth In Advertising

Why Drink Water, When You Can Drink Schlitz?

“Doctors Say Drink More Schlitz”

Which doctors? Doctor Al K. Holic?

Today would the Federal Trade Commission have a problem with this Schlitz beer ad? Probably, but this ad is from a 1904 Puck Magazine. And the creation of the FTC to oversee truth in advertising was another 10 years off.

That’s what I love about 1904. You could say almost any ridiculous thing in print and get away with it.  Who was going to challenge the claim? And companies could put almost anything in foods and beverages and get away with it too. There was no Food and Drug Administration watching over what companies decided to add to food or what fell into your food during processing. Coca-Cola originally had cocaine in it. So what if rat droppings or insects got into your food?

Reading carefully the ad does not proclaim that you drink ten glasses of beer per day, but it certainly infers it.  Today it remains true that many doctors say “the body requires ten glasses of fluid per day.” Find me the doctor who wants it to be ten glasses of beer!