Pabst Vim & Vigor
c.1889-
Pabst Malt Extract ad. Marketed as the “Best” Tonic. The ad is of a healthy looking, classical figure with a yellow background and Pabst Trademarks framing the sides, as well as in the center. The ad promises Vim and Vigor to the buyer.
Vim and Vigor was a common saying in the Victorian Era, indeed well before that. “He seems full of Vim and Vigor” was used as an expression regarding someone’s enthusiasm and energy put toward a task. Vigor is commonly seen today as the root for vigorous, meaning strong, energetic, and active. Not as common however, is Vim, which is from the latin vis, meaning strength. It is fitting then that this particular advertisement for Pabst Malt Extract has a figure in classical Roman dress. Apparently he wants to convice potential buyers of the strength giving qualities found withing the bottle. In fact the Pabst Brewery was not the only company using “Vim” to market the power found within a certain product. In 1909 an English company actually named one of their products Vim. It was a scouring soap.
