The Legacy of
Paul Stanley’s
Beer Advertising
During the late 1940s through the late 1960s, Paul Stanley & Company transformed brewery advertising with some of the most imaginative and mechanically innovative point-of-purchase displays ever created. Operating from San Francisco under the slogan “Merchandising in Motion,” Paul Stanley designed large-scale animated floor displays that brought brewery brands to life and turned ordinary retail spaces into unforgettable customer experiences.
At a time when in-store advertising played a vital role in attracting customers, these remarkable displays became powerful marketing tools for breweries throughout the western United States. Towering over displays of bottled and canned beer, they combined movement, lighting, colorful characters, and mechanical animation to stop shoppers in their tracks and leave a lasting impression.
Built for America’s Breweries
Paul Stanley became best known for his work with regional breweries including Hamm’s, Burgermeister, Lone Star, Storz, and Great Falls Select Beer. Each display was custom designed to reflect the personality and identity of the brewery it represented, creating memorable advertising pieces that strengthened brand recognition while entertaining customers.
Although each campaign featured its own unique theme, every display shared Stanley’s unmistakable design philosophy—combining artistic creativity with reliable mechanical engineering. Bears, cowboys, helicopters, motorcycles, log rides, flying saucers, and countless other imaginative characters came to life through clever motion and handcrafted construction, making every display a centerpiece wherever it appeared.
Handcrafted, One at a Time
Every Paul Stanley beer display was individually handcrafted using wood, metal, fiberglass, lighting, electric motors, and custom-built mechanical components. Because they were assembled by hand, no two examples are exactly alike. Small differences in figures, bases, colors, or mechanical details are common and reflect both ongoing design refinements and the availability of materials during production.
Production numbers were extremely limited. Depending on the campaign, only 10 to 40 examples of a particular display were typically produced. Their scarcity, combined with decades of attrition, has made surviving examples among the most desirable pieces of breweriana in existence.
The Burgie Displays
Among Paul Stanley’s most imaginative brewery creations were the animated displays designed for Burgermeister Beer, affectionately known as “Burgie.” These whimsical displays perfectly captured the fun-loving personality of the brand through colorful characters, playful animation, and inventive mechanical design.
Whether featuring Burgie soaring through the air in a flying saucer or interacting with imaginative scenes, each display was created to stop shoppers in their tracks and make the Burgermeister name unforgettable. Behind the charming characters was Paul Stanley’s signature blend of artistry and engineering—carefully handcrafted mechanisms that brought each display to life with smooth, reliable motion.
Produced in limited numbers and rotated among retail stores throughout the western United States, the Burgie displays became some of the most memorable examples of mid-century brewery advertising. Today, surviving examples are highly sought after by collectors, not only for their rarity, but also for their exceptional craftsmanship, creativity, and enduring appeal. They remain a testament to Paul Stanley’s ability to transform point-of-purchase advertising into entertaining works of mechanical art.
Designed to Travel
These displays represented a significant investment for the breweries that commissioned them. Rather than remaining in a single location, they were shipped from store to store on rotating promotional schedules using custom-built wooden shipping crates specifically designed for each display.
Because of this constant movement, many displays experienced years of wear, modifications, and repairs before eventually being retired. Original shipping crates are exceptionally rare today and provide valuable insight into how these remarkable advertising pieces were transported and maintained.
A Lasting Legacy
Paul Stanley & Company ceased operations in the late 1960s, but the company’s influence on brewery advertising continues to this day. Combining imagination, craftsmanship, engineering, and mechanical innovation, Paul Stanley created displays unlike anything before or since.
Today, these animated masterpieces are celebrated as some of the finest examples of breweriana ever produced. Their rarity, artistry, and historical significance continue to captivate collectors, historians, and enthusiasts, preserving the legacy of one of America’s greatest designers of animated beer advertising.
The Legacy of
Paul Stanley’s
Beer Advertising
During the late 1940s through the late 1960s, Paul Stanley & Company transformed brewery advertising with some of the most imaginative and mechanically innovative point-of-purchase displays ever created. Operating from San Francisco under the slogan “Merchandising in Motion,” Paul Stanley designed large-scale animated floor displays that brought brewery brands to life and turned ordinary retail spaces into unforgettable customer experiences.
At a time when in-store advertising played a vital role in attracting customers, these remarkable displays became powerful marketing tools for breweries throughout the western United States. Towering over displays of bottled and canned beer, they combined movement, lighting, colorful characters, and mechanical animation to stop shoppers in their tracks and leave a lasting impression.
Built for America’s Breweries
Paul Stanley became best known for his work with regional breweries including Hamm’s, Burgermeister, Lone Star, Storz, and Great Falls Select Beer. Each display was custom designed to reflect the personality and identity of the brewery it represented, creating memorable advertising pieces that strengthened brand recognition while entertaining customers.
Although each campaign featured its own unique theme, every display shared Stanley’s unmistakable design philosophy—combining artistic creativity with reliable mechanical engineering. Bears, cowboys, helicopters, motorcycles, log rides, flying saucers, and countless other imaginative characters came to life through clever motion and handcrafted construction, making every display a centerpiece wherever it appeared.
Handcrafted, One at a Time
Every Paul Stanley beer display was individually handcrafted using wood, metal, fiberglass, lighting, electric motors, and custom-built mechanical components. Because they were assembled by hand, no two examples are exactly alike. Small differences in figures, bases, colors, or mechanical details are common and reflect both ongoing design refinements and the availability of materials during production.
Production numbers were extremely limited. Depending on the campaign, only 10 to 40 examples of a particular display were typically produced. Their scarcity, combined with decades of attrition, has made surviving examples among the most desirable pieces of breweriana in existence.
The Burgie Displays
Among Paul Stanley’s most imaginative brewery creations were the animated displays designed for Burgermeister Beer, affectionately known as “Burgie.” These whimsical displays perfectly captured the fun-loving personality of the brand through colorful characters, playful animation, and inventive mechanical design.
Whether featuring Burgie soaring through the air in a flying saucer or interacting with imaginative scenes, each display was created to stop shoppers in their tracks and make the Burgermeister name unforgettable. Behind the charming characters was Paul Stanley’s signature blend of artistry and engineering—carefully handcrafted mechanisms that brought each display to life with smooth, reliable motion.
Produced in limited numbers and rotated among retail stores throughout the western United States, the Burgie displays became some of the most memorable examples of mid-century brewery advertising. Today, surviving examples are highly sought after by collectors, not only for their rarity, but also for their exceptional craftsmanship, creativity, and enduring appeal. They remain a testament to Paul Stanley’s ability to transform point-of-purchase advertising into entertaining works of mechanical art.
Designed to Travel
These displays represented a significant investment for the breweries that commissioned them. Rather than remaining in a single location, they were shipped from store to store on rotating promotional schedules using custom-built wooden shipping crates specifically designed for each display.
Because of this constant movement, many displays experienced years of wear, modifications, and repairs before eventually being retired. Original shipping crates are exceptionally rare today and provide valuable insight into how these remarkable advertising pieces were transported and maintained.
A Lasting Legacy
Paul Stanley & Company ceased operations in the late 1960s, but the company’s influence on brewery advertising continues to this day. Combining imagination, craftsmanship, engineering, and mechanical innovation, Paul Stanley created displays unlike anything before or since.
Today, these animated masterpieces are celebrated as some of the finest examples of breweriana ever produced. Their rarity, artistry, and historical significance continue to captivate collectors, historians, and enthusiasts, preserving the legacy of one of America’s greatest designers of animated beer advertising.