If you’ve visited a local bar in the last 50 years, you know the passion for Rainier beer in Washington is beyond doubt. The Rainier brand is legendary, largely thanks to the clever television commercials played throughout the 1970s, developed by Terry Heckler and his Seattle-based ad agency.
Two Tacoma brothers, Robby and Justin Peterson, are to restore the classic Rainier Beer television commercials from the 1970s. They plan to make the first-ever documentary film about Rainier Beer, preserving a piece of Northwest history.
We appreciate the brothers’ dedication to restoring and preserving this iconic history. O Bee Credit Union was born in the Olympia Brewery, where our roots remain. Rainier was produced at the Olympia Brewery for many years. It’s vital that we preserve our community’s brewing legacy, and we want to help the brothers do the same.
“The Rainier commercials transformed beer advertising,” said Robby Peterson.
“They were smart and funny,” his brother Justin Peterson added. “They used cultural references, like Saturday Night Live and the Rambo movies, but they also captured our quirky Northwest culture.”
Together the brothers own Peterson Bros. 1111, a self-proclaimed “Favorite Dive Bar” of Tacoma, known for its welcoming atmosphere and great food. A corner of the bar is dedicated to all things Rainier, including a constant loop of old Rainier commercials playing on a TV. That’s what started the idea. The brothers began a search for the original footage of these old commercials. They knew it had to be out there, but where? Through a bit of luck and a lot of searching, they discovered miles of original film footage in storage at the Washington State History Museum.
The brothers are taking it one step further.
The Peterson brothers have teamed up with local movie director, Isaac Olsen, to create a documentary based on the restored Rainier commercials. The brothers hope to have the documentary completed by 2024. The video of their efforts to save the film and restore it can be
Let’s Make History
The brothers launched a Kickstarter campaign to collect donations for the documentary. The campaign ends on October 25, 2022, and we need your help making history!
“When you donate to this project, you’re not only making our film a reality, but you are also helping to preserve Northwest history for generations to come by ensuring that this priceless film is archived in a digital format and available to the public through the Washington State Historical Society.” – Justin and Rob Peterson.