Some say that you can buy advertising, but good public relations is priceless. These are also the same people who say that there is no such thing as bad publicity.
You be the judge of that, however, as Milwaukee has seen its share of great (and less than great) PR stunts over the years. Here are some of the most memorable, listed in approximate chronological order. Feel free to add your own using the Talkback feature below:
1970: The real Bernie Brewer
The Brewers mustachioed mascot comes from a very real person -- 69-year-old (at the time) Milt Mason. When the team relocated to Milwaukee from Seattle in 1970, attendance was low. Superfan Mason, in attempt to draw attention to the new club, camped out in a trailer atop the scoreboard in late June, vowing not to come down until a crowd of at least 40,000 attended a game. On August 16, a Bat Day crowd of 44,387 showed up to bring their adopted hero down from his perch.
In 1973, the mascot version of Bernie emerged as a character who cheered on the Crew from a beer-barreled chalet. He would slide down from his perch into a beer stein following each Brewers home run and victory. Bernie Brewer became a fixture at Brewers home games through the club's powerful years when home runs came with regularity for teams known as Bambi's Bombers and Harvey's Wallbangers.
In 1984, the Brewers rebuilt the bleachers, replacing Bernie's Chalet with a sound tower and sending the mascot into retirement. (We can't blame this on Sal Bando, because it was too early.)
In 1993, Bernie made a triumphant return. By popular demand, Brewers fans voted for his reinstatement. Bernie Brewers' housewarming party was a smash and he has been a permanent fixture at every game, and still slides down from his chalet after every homer -- unfortunately, no longer into a mug of beer (not Bando's fault, but perhaps Wendy Selig-Prieb made that decision -- same difference).
1982: "On the ledge with Tim the Rock 'N Roll Animal"
This year marks the 25th anniversary of one of the greatest stunts in the history of Milwaukee radio.
WQFM, which was competing with rival station WLPX in a death struggle for the attention of rock fans with feathered hair and black t-shirts, had a night-time DJ named Tim "The Rock 'n' Roll Animal" Smith. (He got the nickname from college friends because he used to play Lou Reed's album of that name virtually every morning." The Rock and Roll Animal, who began his stint as the overnight DJ at WQFM before taking the coveted 6 p.m. -- 10 p.m. slot, was a bit quiet off the air but charismatic on it. He was known for his rhyming catchphrases like "Yankin' and Crankin on a Friday High Day," "Nothin' to it but to do it," etc.
It was during 1982 that The Who released what was to be its final studio album, "It's Hard," and announced a farewell tour of North America. (Yes, they're the same band that has only toured the US about 50 times since).
The Who had never played a date in Milwaukee and none was announced on the slate for the farewell tour. During his show on Sept. 16, 1982, Tim the Animal decided that he would climb out on the 21st floor ledge of the WQFM studio, which was located at 606 W. Wisconsin Ave., and would not come inside until the Who announced that it was playing in Milwaukee.
WQFM milked the bit for all it was worth. TV stations and national magazines covered the "camp out," restaurants got publicity by sending food and listeners were encouraged to "Honk for The Who" while driving down Wisconsin Ave.
On Oct. 1, Tim the Animal took a call on the air from Roger Daltrey, the Who's lead singer, saying that the band would visit the Milwaukee Arena on Dec. 7. A lottery was held for tickets and roughly 12,000 lucky fans got to see one of the more incredible shows in Milwaukee rock history and the culmination of one of the great radio promotions of all-time.
1983: Cabbage Patch Kid Drop over County Stadium
Remember when Cabbage Patch Kids were the Tickle Me Elmo's of the '80s? Astute Milwaukee FM radio listeners sure do. WKTI's moring DJ's, Bob Reitman and Gene Mueller told their fans that they had arranged for a B-29 to drop 2,000 of the nearly unattainable Christmas toys over old Milwaukee County Stadium. According to Reitman, he told shoppers to show up in the parking lot with a catcher's mitt on one hand and a Master Card in the other.
Apparently, not too many bought into the gag (these are the same guys who invented the "Heinie Winery in Waldo, Wis." in the '80s). Only about 20 people actually came out, glove in hand, but it made for enough PR fodder to turn a small joke into a big fiasco.
"That was lightning in a jar," Reitman told the Journal Sentinel in 2006. "That was something we did on the air. We made it up. We did it and we were done with it -- went on and did the rest of the show and forgot about it. The phones started ringing around noon, and it ended up being on two of the network news programs, over 100 newspapers all over the world, Sports Illustrated. It was ridiculous, but it was the antidote for the poison that was going around."
Circa 1984: WKTI's green bagels
Speaking of WKTI, in the early-80s, the station handed out free green bagels on the morning of St. Patrick's Day to their (seven) listeners. The deal was you had to drive up to the curb of the station on Capitol Drive, and some wacky WKTI rep tossed a festively dyed green bagel -- or a few bagels -– through your car window. This stunt was short-lived, but remains fondly remembered by many Milwaukeeans.
1987: George Webb's free burgers
For more than 50 years, the George Webb Restaurant chain has boldly promised a payoff to its patrons if the local professional baseball team could sustain an unblemished string of success for 12 consecutive games. History has proven it to be a greater feat than most could imagine. Nonetheless, each time the club gets within striking distance; people's mouths begin to water.
As a restaurateur dating to the 1930s, Webb had a passion for baseball and followed the old Milwaukee Brewers of the American Association. Each year, he would predict the Brewers would win 17 consecutive games. Even though the minor league team couldn't live up to the lofty goal, Webb realized the value in this type of publicity.
When the National League Braves left Boston for Milwaukee in 1953, Webb was at it again. This time he put his prediction in print, taking out newspaper advertisements and creating billboards for his restaurants. He printed napkins that read: "George Webb's predicts the Braves will win 12 straight games."
The Braves, of course, left town, but when the Brewers arrived, the pledge was renewed. And it finally happened in April of 1987, when the Brewers led off the season with 13 straight wins.
Three days after the record performance, Webb's distributed free hamburgers throughout its 42 restaurant-chain in Southeastern Wisconsin. In an eight-hour period, Webb's served more than 168,194 free hamburgers to celebratory fans, who stood in long lines on a rainy day in April.
1988: Tarzana crushing cans with her breasts
When you mention "Da Crusher" to most Milwaukeeans, they instantly think of the iconic professional wrestler, whose real name was Reggie Lisowski.
For some, however, the idea of "crushing" conjures a different image: Tarzana.
During the 1980s, Tarzana was a busty, featured dancer at Hoops, a giant gentleman's clubs that occupied the same space as the former Palms nightclub, 2616 W. State St.
In addition to her, ahem, most obvious assets, Tarzana had two great marketing gimmicks working simultaneously. First, she was billed in print ads as "a former Dallas Cowgirl." That sounded impressive and it made people think of the gorgeous dancers who prance around the sideline at Texas Stadium in spangled outfits and white go-go boots. But, those girls are officially the "Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders." We don't know if Tarzana ever worked on a ranch in the Lone Star State, but it brought people to her shows.
Once inside Hoops, which was located across the street from still-standing Rickey's on State (Hey! Hey!), customers lined up to watch Tarzana's trademark move, which consisted of taking a beer can from a customer and crushing it with her cleavage.
All this might sound a bit tame in an era when you can watch all kinds of unnatural acts on the internet, but this was cutting edge, risqué entertainment at the time. Men from far and wide paid for the privilege of getting their beer can crushed, and often autographed, by the famous Tarzana.
We're not sure what happened to Tarzana and her can-crushing. If you've spoken to her lately, let us know and we'll track her down for a story.
