Olympia Beer’s Artesians

Region

United States

Associated With

Olympia Brewing Company - advertiser; Chiat/Day - advertising agency

Defining Feature

Intentionally unseen subterranean Artesians, invoked through purported sightings, testimony, wet footprints and the phrase “I Seen ’Em.”

Status

Discontinued - campaign retired in 1983

Overview

Olympia Beer’s Artesians campaign invented unseen underground beings to explain its famous artesian water.

Launched in 1980, the adverts presented supposed sightings, witness-style testimony and wet footprints. The beings stayed out of view, while “I Seen ’Em” spread across television advertising and free bumper stickers.

The phrase even reappeared in a Teamsters labour-dispute parody in 1981. By 1983, Pabst was reported to be retiring the campaign after company studies questioned how effectively it sold beer.

Why It Mattered

An invisible mascot made the audience supply the creature. Supposed witnesses, wet footprints and “I Seen ’Em” turned the water claim into a joke people could repeat without ever seeing an Artesian. The Teamsters’ parody shows the slogan acquiring another use in a labour dispute, beyond the beer campaign that introduced it.

Campaign Premise

• The Artesians were intentionally unseen subterranean beings.
• Purported sightings and claimed wet footprints were campaign-story devices linking the beings to Olympia’s artesian-water claim.
• Sources use varying descriptions, including elf-like and troll-like; no single canonical visual design is established.

Launch and Promotion

• Olympia began its major Artesians campaign on 26/12/1980; the 03/1981 Beverage Analyst report places the broadcast debut in late 12/1980.
• The 03/1981 Beverage Analyst report documents television advertising, including commercials in Super Bowl coverage, and free “I Seen ’Em” bumper stickers.
• A trade report noted an apparent rise in brewery-tour attendance during the campaign, without establishing advertising as the cause.

Reception and Retirement

• Olympia filed U.S. trademark applications for I SEEN ’EM on 10/04/1981 and ARTESIANS on 13/04/1981, both for beer.
• During a 1981 labour dispute, Teamsters Local 174 used the parody line “I Seen ’Em: Scabs Delivering Oly in Seattle.”
• By 1983, Pabst was reported to be retiring the Artesians after company studies found the campaign and “It’s the water” ineffective in selling beer.

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