Narragansett Beer » ’50s

Vintage: Track 4 From Narragansett’s Jingle Demos

admin mat — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:56:20 +0000

Listen to track 4 from Narragansett’s Jingle Demos

We’ve blogging about this record coming our way with unreleased jingles from the 50′s for a few weeks now. Well guess what? We’re going to start using them in our radio ads soon. We were able to record the vinyl and create digital copies. Above is track 4. And just to add we kind of like the vintage vibe the crackling noise gives off. Makes you feel like you’re listening to the old time record. Researching the record a little more we found that the Marketing Agency, Cunningham & Walsh, who created these came together in 1950. Judging by the nature of the instruments used, vocals, and song writing, it’s quite clear that this was record in the early 50′s. Click here to learn more about the ad agency on AdAge.com. Until the next jingle, we leave you with, “Relax, refresh, have a Gansett, Have a Gansett, Have a Gansett!”

Vintage: Track 3 Of Narragansett’s Jingle Demos

admin mat — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:38:00 +0000

Download audio file (103-3.mp3)

Listen to track 3

Vintage: Track 1 From The Narragansett Jingle Demos Record

admin mat — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:39:45 +0000

Download audio file (101-1.mp3)
Listen to track 1 from Narragansett beer’s Jingle Demos record

We recently blogged about this record coming our way with unreleased jingles from the 50′s. Well guess what? We were able to record the vinyl and create digital copies. So here it is. Researching the record a little more we found that the Marketing Agency, Cunningham & Walsh, who created these came together in 1950. Judging by the nature of the instruments used, vocals, and song writing, it’s quite clear that this was record in the early 50′s. Click here to learn more about the ad agency on AdAge.com. Until the next jingle, we leave you with, “Relax, refresh, have a Gansett, Have a Gansett, Have a Gansett!”

Wall Of Fame: TPJ’s Story

Narragansett Team — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:06:47 +0000

The Narragansett Beer Products culture – Circa: mid-fifties New England.

Narragansett Beer Products sponsored the Boston Red Sox on radio and television.. The name was broadcast into homes, cafes bars and clubs daily. There were no Celtics, like today’s Celtics. Ed Sadowski, a tall heavy center was the star, and Bob Cousy was just out of Holy Cross, where Tommy Heinsom was still a student. The Bruins were building their team with a rookie named Bobby Orr, along with the Chief; Esposito; Pie McKenzie and Derek Sanderson. Bruins seats were about $2.00 per game- up high.

The Celts had rookies like Cousy, Havlecek. McCale and were yet to draft Larry Bird.

The Patriots were non-existent. The Southie Football Team against the Charlestown Townies was the annual football draw- over at the stadium on the beach. The Boston Yanks were an also ran Semi-Pro football team, and soccer was for foreigners.
There were no e-mails; the internet was yet to be developed; and TV sets were rare.

WWII was over about a decade earlier. The Korean “Police Action” had been completed leaving scars on servicemen and political parties that would never heal. The GI Bill had helped to enroll thousands of ex-servicemen and women into college programs. It was an age whose heroes still wore the uniform of their country, not the local sports team. It was a simpler time.

In New England, Bars and Taverns were the extension of the family “living room”. Guys went out for shots and beers to their local tavern, which became a secondary community for coalescing; for gambling; for drinking with buddies and for watching or listening to sports events. Narragansett was a favorite. It met the “ Neighborly” value of a community. It still does.

Barbeques became fashionable as a neighborhood event in the fifties as more veterans could buy houses. Beer at these events was essential. Having a local beer was very American. Narragansett was a natural choice. It was a New England Beer. It employed locals; It endorsed and supported our own New England Baseball team and it was a very decent drink. It also celebrated “neighborliness”.

Hi Neighbor, have a “gansett” was more than a slogan. It was an expression of confidence- in America-In our ability to build our community, and to coalesce as a nation recovering from an expensive and brutal war, while routing for our home team.

We need to recover that spirit

TPJ

‘Gansett Wall Of Fame: Tom Johnson

Narragansett Team — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:42:45 +0000

My great ‘Gansett year. “They want shots with their beers.” he said. “No shots, just Narragansett Beer – that’s what I’m promoting. Get the Seagram’s guy to buy them shots,” I said. “He’s nowhere around,” came the reply. “Tough,” I said. “Give everyone another ‘Gansett on me.” It was the fall of 1957. I was a mission man for the Narragansett brewery, the largest seller of beer and beer products in New England. The brewery sponsored all the Red Sox games and had Irene Hennessey and Curt Gowdy as its public face. “Hi Neighbor, have a ‘Gansett,” was the slogan. It appeared on car bumpers, on beer glasses and on signs in front of liquor stores and bars throughout the region. I drove a panel truck throughout the region that had a huge plastic mockup of a Giant Imperial Quart (39.37 oz.) on its roof. I got high fives and thumbs up from everyone on the road and in the cities and towns of the region. It was fun. I was in training to be a route salesman for assignment somewhere in New England. The brewery hired me right out of college because I owned a clean, ironed dress shirt, a suit and tie, a pork pie soft hat and I could tell a good story. My Irish tenor voice also helped. The pay was $75 per week and travel money, plus $125 per week to buy people Narragansett beer in bars. Did you hear the one about – no nevermind – later… The bar was in northern New England, near the Connecticut lakes region of New Hampshire. About six of us from the brewery landed there one Monday morning. We had already identified the big draft beer outlets patronized by foresters, WWII veterans and ethnic clubs, mostly Polish and French-Canadian. Most did not feature the Narragansett products, but featured national brands instead. Our job was to promote Narragansett products in bars and package stores. Our strategy was simple. In twos, we would wander into each targeted bar around noon, and order Narragansett beer. When we were offered another brand, we declined and walked out. We would do this on days for end. On other days, we’d go to big Narragansett customers and buy drinks all afternoon and evening. We’d sing harmony, tell stories, watch the Sox on TV (if the bar had TV – some had just radio) and work the town. We spent a lot of money buying free drinks for patrons. No whiskey, despite the many pleas for shots and beers, just our product. We would strategize with the local Narragansett salesman at the end of our week outlining where we had been and which bars had no ‘Gansett. We would take a week or two off, using our in and out strategies in other locations, in Maine, Vermont, and in lower Connecticut. At the end of each week, we’d lay out our collective experiences with the local Narragansett distributor and schedule a return trip several weeks hence. This particular Northwood’s Bar was festfooned with signs from Budweiser, Schlitz, Pabst, and Ballantine Ale. No Narragansett signs were visible. However, when we returned with signs and point of sale material several weeks later, the bar now stocked Narragansett beer and ale. We knew that because the route salesman had briefed us on which bars now stocked our products for the first time. The salesman, after our week long visitation asking for Narragansett and walking out when none was available, had convinced the bar owner that Narragansett was pulling away from the national beers as a big draw, and we should be stocked. Most bought only five introductory cases. Our next strategy was to wander in to these bars in twos and ask for Narragansett. “We have it,” we were told, “but it’s in the cellar.” “Put it in the cooler,” we suggested, “and we’ll be back later.” We would leave and return later in the afternoon or in the evening. With about four or five rounds of free Narragansett distributed to very, very happy patrons, the bar would exhaust its Narragansett stock. We’d register disappointment and leave to begin a new mission in another bar.We’d encourage the barkeep to bring in more stock and we’d be back in a week or so. Naturally, over several months, we managed to convert many of the national brand loyalists to drinking our own famous aged New England lager beer, “Narragansett.” In the meantime, sales grew enormously in these small villages and Northern cities. So much so, that the brewery would initiate a sales “contest” for these regional distributors and bar owners. The more Narragansett beer sold to these bars, the greater the prize; American Tourister luggage, Red Sox tickets, a trip to the brewery or the grand prize, a vacation in Bermuda. Needless to say, the northern New England sales volume of Narragansett beer and beer products soared during the winter of 1957-58. Some salesman, I understood, were able to work out hundreds of cases to help them get into the Bermuda prize category. The bar owners also could earn prizes. I’m not sure what happened then. I was assigned to Fairfield County in lower Connecticut, fighting against Piels beer, Rheingold beer, Schaeffer beer, Rupert Knickerbocker beer (those little knicks) and a spate of ales. I just lost track of northern New England beer sales. I’ll bet, however, that some folks are still sitting in some northern bars, awaiting in vain a return of the big spenders with the bottomless pockets whose mission to develop Narragansett loyalty was accomplished many decades ago. Hi Neighbor, have another ‘Gansett! Tom Preston Johnson Ed. D. Harwich Port, MA Thanks, Tom for sharing your story. It’s all too familar to many of us around here. We encourage anyone to submit stories of folks whom you feel should be inducted into the ‘GANSETT WALL OF FAME here.

Nichols And May For ‘Gansett

Narragansett Team — Tue, 12 May 2009 16:04:52 +0000

Only nine people have ever won all four major entertainment awards (Grammy, Academy, Tony, and Emmy). Only one person has won all four awards and made Gansett commercials: Mike Nichols, one half of the celebrated comedy duo Nichols and May. Check out some of the commercials below!