Pabst Blue Ribbon is a pale lager with roots in the US. It gained a certain cultural icon status, particularly among young adults. The brand’s association with the “hipster” culture has further solidified its reputation. It can be said that this brand represents a blend of classic American beer tradition and contemporary pop culture. Pabst Blue Ribbon remains a popular choice for many. The brand continues to innovate with new products and marketing strategies while staying true to its roots.
PBR was established by the Pabst Brewing Company in the USA back in 1844. The founder’s name was Jacob Best, which was reflected in the name – Best and Company. After his son-in-law, Frederick Pabst, took over the brewery, the company was renamed to Pabst Brewing Company. Frederick played a crucial role in expanding the brewery’s success. The brand Pabst Blue Ribbon was created in 1890. Over the decades, the Pabst Brewing Company has changed hands multiple times. In 2010, it was acquired by Metropoulos & Co. and the Tenth and Blake Beer Company.
What is PBR (Pabst Blue Ribbon)?
Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR) is an American beer brand that has become iconic among craft beer enthusiasts. It is recognized for its light body and crisp, refreshing taste. While the original PBR remains the flagship product, the company has expanded its offerings to include various other styles and flavors.
The iconic Blue Ribbon label has been associated with a number of promotional campaigns. Historically, it won a Blue Ribbon at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, which the company has capitalized on in its branding. The logo consists of a blue ribbon emblem with a silver outline serving as the base. Across the top, it has “Pabst” printed using a cursive, italicized font. The second line, Blue Ribbon, is done using a bold, bracketed-serif font and placed on a rectangular base that overlaps the ribbon. The logo presents the company as the finest beer brand.
A classic and meaningful logo has been slightly updated and modernized. The company had the blue shade changed to a brighter and vivid color. In addition, the border around the round part of the emblem became more decorative. The ribbons themselves are also slightly longer. The company made minimal modifications to the fonts to preserve a recognizable brand image. The logo now has a third line that says “Beer” in silver using a small serif font and all caps.
An italicized font similar to Yellowtail Regular by Adobe Systems Incorporated has been used for the “Pabst” line. The “Blue Ribbon” part is printed using a bold font with bracketed slab serifs similar to Stymie ExtraBold Condensed font or Geared Slab Bold font. The “Beer” line, which was added later, uses a font that resembles Garriger Rough Font but with an “R” leg that is smoother and more elegant.
The blue color is not surprising to see in the logo as it is part of the brand’s name. The company changed the shades to create a more contemporary and eye-catching image. The logo also uses a muted shade of silver for an accent and later a contrasting white. The color palette choice turned out very successful, reflecting a cool and refreshing aesthetic.