Swedish Bikini Team

In reality, the Swedish Bikini Team isn't Swedish at all. It was based on stereotypes and created to sell Old Milwaukee Beer. The commercial aired in 1991 and led to the girls' appearances on television shows, a lawsuit and later books and DVDs.

What Is the Swedish Bikini Team?

The team was made up of American actresses in real life. On the commercials, they were the epitome of the blonde haired, blue eyed Swedish bombshell (in bikinis, of course!) that some men dream of. And when they debuted, they were carrying beer. Old Milwaukee beer, to be exact.

The team later went on to be featured elsewhere, both before and after the lawsuit that resulted in a statement from the Center for Science in the Public Interest saying that the ad was, "unfair, misleading and irresponsible".

All in all, the team wasn't what it appeared. That is, real Swedish babes. Nor did it leave the same impression on everyone who watched it. Was it a parody of other beer commercials, taking a stab at other brands, or was it a blow to women everywhere? Despite widespread interest (obviously not all positive), the campaign was taken off the air early.

The Members

As mentioned earlier, the team was made up of American actresses posing as blonde, voluptous Swedish woman. Here's a list of the original members:

• Uma Thorensen — Avalon Anders
• Karin Kristensen — Suzanna Keller
• Hilgar Oblief — Heather Elizabeth Parkhurst
• Eva Jacobsen — Jane Frances
• Ulla Swensen — Peggy Trentini

The women's careers did not stop there. To some degree, they each managed to stay in the spotlight.

The Commercial

So what was the big deal commercial that spawned a lawsuit and led to books and DVDs? It went something like this: There was a group of men bonding on a hunting trip in the mountains and talking about how things couldn't possibly get better. The narrator corrected them. Enter the Swedish girls in bikinis carrying plenty of Old Milwaukee beer on a boat and looking for a party. Why yes, it could get better.

Where Else You May Have Seen Them

A 1991 lawsuit ensued between the female employees of Stroh's Brewery (Pabst) and the employer that stated that the commercials not only featured women as "giggling, jiggling idiots who have large breasts and small minds", but also set the stage for sexual harassment on the job. As a result, the Swedish Bikini Team went on to pursue other appearances such as those in the DVDs and books found on The Swedish Bikini Team's official site. You'll find:

• Never Mind is a movie that takes the girls on a PG-13 adventure fighting terrorists, aliens and more. The website calls it, "all about beauty, brains, bravery and girl power!"

• Revenge Is a Dish Best Served Warm is a novel that gives details about the characters' backgrounds. It is a political satire set in 1997.

• The Lost Tapes is a sixty-minute documentary that features everything from television tabloid shows to the three original beer commercials.

Prior to the lawsuit, the team also made a few other appearances. According to TV Acres, they showed up on the Married with Children sitcom twice and also posed for Playboy in January 1992.

In addition, they did appear in The Adventures of Mark and Brian, but they had no lines. Mark and Brian attempted to "save" them after US Coast Guard training. Of course this led to Mark and Brian's embarrassment before the scantily clad beauties when their jet ski capsized.

The Bottom Line

ALthough the ad campaign only ran for a few months after the The Hal Riney & Partners Ad Agency in San Francisco set it into motion back in 1991, it's still talked about today. Whether it was designed to be a parody of other beer commercials, an attempt to display women as "idiots" or just simple eye candy for men is still debatable. The visuals didn't last long, but the bikini team survived.

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