I can't be the only person who has noticed this.

In this 2015 commercial for Guinness Blonde, a particular image is used which should have no place in a beer commercial unless they're attempting to promote swill.

"Robbers' Roost" Jacob Riis, Five Points 1888

quote:

The place depicted as “Robbers’ Roost” was at 59½ Mulberry Street. The building on the right was a “stale-beer dive” where drinkers could stay all night if they bought a few glasses. Stale beer was left outside legitimate taverns in barrels for pickup by brewery wagons. This stuff was stolen and various chemicals added to clarify it and make it foam. The resulting poisonous swill was sold for 2¢ a glass. The young ladies hanging out the window probably offered other services as well.

Good eye. I would've not seen that.

I bet the American Ad Agency didn't know who or what the photo was. They just thought it was a great photo of the shanty Irish in NYC 1880's. Guinness is about to put a brewery here in Baltimore, "The City that Bleeds" should make for a great brew. I can guarantee there will be few Irish working there except those imported. We must remember that it's no longer Irish owned but British. Still good stuff. Chris

quote:

Originally posted by Chris Anchor:
I bet the American Ad Agency didn't know who or what the photo was. They just thought it was a great photo of the shanty Irish in NYC 1880's.

That's precisely my point.

I recognized the image immediately because I've studied the history of the photographic image all the way back to the point where cameras existed, but a way to record images had not yet been devised (the camera obscura was originally devised as an aid to draw or trace images projected onto a ground glass screen, but that's another story.)

Robbers' Roost is an iconic image, and any serious photographer should recognize it.

The point of all this is that whomever produced that commercial should have known better. Then again, these days, I imagine the producer to be some snot-nosed twenty-something who simply searches the internet for images without the slightest clue of their context.
And that's how an image of kill-you-for-twenty-cents robbers and nasty prostitutes hanging out at a poison beer joint gets into a commercial that's intended to compel you to buy beer!
Most people who see the commercial will not know the difference, but that does not change the nature of that photograph or the absurdity of its appearance in a beer commercial.

BTT, for anyone who may give a shit

Fascinating. Thanks for the history lesson, Para.

If anyone cares, the area that was Five Points is now the courthouse district. "El Chappo" Guzman is being held in the federal holding jail maybe two hundred yards from where that photo was likely taken.

Great catch, cool photo and history

quote:

Robbers' Roost is an iconic image, and any serious photographer should recognize it.

While not a student of photography I do have an interest in history. The image of Robber's Roost (and it's story) is commonly found by anyone with even a passing interest in American history of that era. I have come across that photo literally dozens upon dozens of times.

I don't know what "BTT" means.

Hell, you can buy a t-shirt with that image on it. Again, anyone in a position to assemble the images for that commercial should have known better.

BTW, for anyone interested in early American documentary photography, check out the body of work of Jacob Riis. You will get a glimpse of the 19th Century you've not before seen, and it isn't pretty.

http://www.visitribe.com/sites...acob-a-riis-foto.jpg

http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/scms...tos/riis/riis102.jpg

https://classconnection.s3.ama.../riis_five-cents.jpg

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pini...62c2c0a3dd77606d.jpg

btt means back to the top

Thanks for the info Para.

You're right they should have known better. I don't know much about the history of photography but this is fascinating.

Neat intersection of technology and everyday life. Amazing how some technology causes massive changes and thought. Napoleon's cook was inadvertently responsible for Armstrong landing on the moon, the washing machine completely changed the work week and how we look at belongings, and the camera brought images from the battlefield and slums directly to the breakfast table.

Awesome thread. I love the broad strokes of knowledge that this forum canvasses. Thank you for the look into this bit of history.

A friend of mine was watching TV with me when I saw this. I said that whoever asembled the images for that commercial is clueless. He said "I don't know anything about that picture. Does that make me ignorant?"

I said- while pointing to the TV- "If it were your job to know such things, I'd say yes, but it's not your profession, is it?"

The person who gathered those images (not the editor of the commercial, mind you, but rather, the person or persons responsible for gathering the old still photos from the internet) should have known better.

Here's an idea- don't use college interns to gather the materials, and consider having a review process before the images are approved for use. This assumes that anyone at Guinness or the advertsising agency cares.

There is a great little excerpt from the book by Riis on that link

How the other half lives

Interesting x2: interesting topic and it's always interesting to be surprised by the vast diversity of expertise and knowledge here.

I swear, a day doesn't pass that I don't learn something here. Thanks Para!

Have you contacted Guiness? I would be interested in their response.

I don't recall seeing the Guiness ad but, I have seen the "Robbers' Roost" photo many times in various publications.

Lack of research seems to the norm thses days.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
Interesting x2: interesting topic and it's always interesting to be surprised by the vast diversity of expertise and knowledge here.

Indeed

Fascinating thread. Thanks for sharing.

quote:

Originally posted by BBMW:
If anyone cares, the area that was Five Points is now the courthouse district. "El Chappo" Guzman is being held in the federal holding jail maybe two hundred yards from where that photo was likely taken.

That's pretty funny, really.

Did the people/govt of the time do that on purpose, turn a formerly seedy area known for that sort of shit into an area of govt buildings in part to make a point or otherwise erase it?

Like, screw your crack houses - here's a new courthouse...?