Swedish Bikini Team
Encyclopedia
The Swedish Bikini Team was a group of American female models who appeared in an advertising campaign
for Old Milwaukee
beer
. These commercials ran for several months in 1991 in the United States
, playing with American stereotype
s of Scandinavia
n women being blonde and having big breasts. The premise of the commercials was that a group of bored or thirsty men were "saved" by the Swedish Bikini Team. Other commercials would focus on a group of men male bonding on a hunting trip and saying "Guys, it does not get any better than this", to which a narrator would say the man was wrong and an Old Milwaukee truck would drive miles off road towards them claiming "it improved", "..and when the Swedish Bikini Team showed up, it got somewhat better."
While many viewers saw the ads as a parody
of traditional beer advertisements
, some feminists found the ads misogynistic
. Though the campaign generated widespread interest, the advertisements were dropped after protests by the National Organization for Women
and female employees of the Pabst Brewing Company
.
While this advertising campaign provoked controversy, in recent years similar campaigns using attractive spokesmodels to sell beverages have followed in the U.S., with less resistance — such as the Coors
twin
s Diane and Elaine Klimaszewski
, and the "Fantanas
": spokesmodels for Fanta
soft drink
s.
actresses
wearing platinum blonde
wigs.
and on a Married... with Children
episode, "The Gas Station Show". They also had a non speaking appearance on a schooner
on an episode of The Adventures of Mark and Brian
, where Mark and Brian underwent US Coast Guard training and were attempting to impress the girls by being coasties and asking if they needed rescuing (to which their jet ski
then embarrassingly capsizes).
The team, played by different actresses, also starred in the video Never Say Never Mind: The Swedish Bikini Team
with John Rhys-Davies
.
The movies Beerfest
and Boat Trip
include female Swedish teams, inspired by the originals.
Advertising campaign
An advertising campaign is a series of advertisement messages that share a single idea and theme which make up an integrated marketing communication...
for Old Milwaukee
Old Milwaukee
Old Milwaukee is an American lager-style beer currently brewed and owned by Pabst Brewing Company. The Old Milwaukee marquee is used by a family of products which includes Old Milwaukee, Old Milwaukee Light and Old Milwaukee Non-Alcoholic.-History:...
beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
. These commercials ran for several months in 1991 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, playing with American stereotype
Stereotype
A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
s of Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n women being blonde and having big breasts. The premise of the commercials was that a group of bored or thirsty men were "saved" by the Swedish Bikini Team. Other commercials would focus on a group of men male bonding on a hunting trip and saying "Guys, it does not get any better than this", to which a narrator would say the man was wrong and an Old Milwaukee truck would drive miles off road towards them claiming "it improved", "..and when the Swedish Bikini Team showed up, it got somewhat better."
While many viewers saw the ads as a parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of traditional beer advertisements
Alcohol advertising
Alcohol advertising is the promotion of alcoholic beverages by alcohol producers through a variety of media. Along with tobacco advertising, it is one of the most highly-regulated forms of marketing...
, some feminists found the ads misogynistic
Misogyny
Misogyny is the hatred or dislike of women or girls. Philogyny, meaning fondness, love or admiration towards women, is the antonym of misogyny. The term misandry is the term for men that is parallel to misogyny...
. Though the campaign generated widespread interest, the advertisements were dropped after protests by the National Organization for Women
National Organization for Women
The National Organization for Women is the largest feminist organization in the United States. It was founded in 1966 and has a membership of 500,000 contributing members. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S...
and female employees of the Pabst Brewing Company
Pabst Brewing Company
Pabst Brewing Company is an American company that dates its origins to a brewing company founded in 1844 by Jacob Best and by 1889 named after Frederick Pabst. It is currently the holding company contracting for the brewing of over two dozen brands of beer and malt liquor from defunct companies...
.
While this advertising campaign provoked controversy, in recent years similar campaigns using attractive spokesmodels to sell beverages have followed in the U.S., with less resistance — such as the Coors
Coors Brewing Company
The Coors Brewing Company is a regional division of the world's fifth-largest brewing company, the Canadian Molson Coors Brewing Company and is the third-largest brewer in the United States...
twin
Twin
A twin is one of two offspring produced in the same pregnancy. Twins can either be monozygotic , meaning that they develop from one zygote that splits and forms two embryos, or dizygotic because they develop from two separate eggs that are fertilized by two separate sperm.In contrast, a fetus...
s Diane and Elaine Klimaszewski
Klimaszewski Twins
Diane and Elaine Klimaszewski are American models better known as the Coors Light Twins. They are also actresses and were briefly members of World Championship Wrestling's Nitro Girls.-Career:...
, and the "Fantanas
Fantanas
The Fantanas are a group of spokesmodels who were created to promote Coca-Cola's Fanta brand of soft drinks in the United States. The quartet has appeared since 2002 in advertising and personal appearances. There have been four different versions of Fantanas since its debut...
": spokesmodels for Fanta
Fanta
Fanta is a global brand of fruit-flavored carbonated soft drinks from the Coca-Cola Company. There are over 90 flavors worldwide. The drink debuted in Germany in 1941 and originally sold only in Europe.-History:...
soft drink
Soft drink
A soft drink is a non-alcoholic beverage that typically contains water , a sweetener, and a flavoring agent...
s.
Members of the team
The Swedish Bikini Team was played by AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actresses
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
wearing platinum blonde
Platinum Blonde
Platinum Blonde may refer to:* Platinum Blonde , a 1931 film starring Jean Harlow* Platinum Blonde , a Canadian New Wave music band, popular in the 1980s* Platinum blonde, a color of hair...
wigs.
- Uma Thorensen — Avalon Anders
- Karin Kristensen — Suzanna Keller
- Hilgar Oblief — Heather Elizabeth Parkhurst
- Eva Jacobsen — Jane Frances
- Ulla Swensen — Peggy TrentiniPeggy TrentiniPeggy Trentini is a former American actress and model. She started acting in movies in 1982 and played 25 roles until 2002 whereupon graduated from her career. She was married to Dana Strum.- References :...
Other appearances
The team appeared outside of the commercial campaign on several occasions including on the cover and a pictorial in PlayboyPlayboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
and on a Married... with Children
Married... with Children
Married... with Children is an American surrealistic sitcom that aired for 11 seasons that featured a dysfunctional family living in Chicago, Illinois. The show, notable for being the first prime time television series to air on Fox, ran from April 5, 1987, to June 9, 1997. The series was created...
episode, "The Gas Station Show". They also had a non speaking appearance on a schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
on an episode of The Adventures of Mark and Brian
The Adventures of Mark and Brian
The Adventures of Mark & Brian is a comedy television program that was broadcast by NBC as part of its 1991 fall lineup.The Adventures of Mark & Brian was an attempt to base a television series on a series of radio bits that had been done on KLOS radio in Los Angeles since 1987 by morning hosts...
, where Mark and Brian underwent US Coast Guard training and were attempting to impress the girls by being coasties and asking if they needed rescuing (to which their jet ski
Jet ski
Jet Ski is the brand name of a personal watercraft manufactured by Kawasaki Heavy Industries. The name is sometimes mistakenly used by those unfamiliar with the personal watercraft industry to refer to any type of personal watercraft; however, the name is a valid trademark registered with the...
then embarrassingly capsizes).
The team, played by different actresses, also starred in the video Never Say Never Mind: The Swedish Bikini Team
Never Say Never Mind: The Swedish Bikini Team
Never Say Never Mind: The Swedish Bikini Team is a 2001 British film spoof starring Bruce Payne, John Rhys-Davies and Cecilie Bull. It was directed by Buzz Feitshans IV.-Plot:...
with John Rhys-Davies
John Rhys-Davies
John Rhys-Davies is a Welsh actor and voice actor. He is perhaps best known for playing the charismatic Arab excavator Sallah in the Indiana Jones films and the dwarf Gimli in The Lord of the Rings trilogy...
.
The movies Beerfest
Beerfest
Beerfest is a 2006 beer-themed comedy film by the comedy group Broken Lizard. Along with the regular members of Broken Lizard, other actors who appear in the movie include Will Forte, M. C. Gainey, Cloris Leachman, Kendra C...
and Boat Trip
Boat Trip
Boat Trip is a 2003 romantic comedy directed by Mort Nathan and starring Cuba Gooding, Jr., Horatio Sanz, Vivica A. Fox, Roselyn Sanchez and Roger Moore.- Plot :...
include female Swedish teams, inspired by the originals.