The Swedish Bikini Team was a group of American female models who appeared in an advertising campaign for Old Milwaukee beer during the early 1990s.
The ads typically featured a group of men out in nature who enjoy their beer and say that it doesn't get any better than this. Things eventually start getting a little better, such as finding gold, before the models eventually appear with more beer and partying with the guys, truly makings things even better.
The models, whose previous work consisted of lingerie modeling or smaller acting roles[1], wore platinum blonde wigs and a bikini while speaking with a faux Swedish accent and given faux Scandinavian name. The ads were created by The Hal Riney & Partners Ad Agency in San Francisco.
They also appeared on the cover of the January 1992 issue of Playboy, along with a pictorial.
Although the ads were popular among the company's targeted male viewers, the ads were canceled after seven months following complaints from feminists group who found the ads to be sexist and misogynistic, along with female employees of Stroh Brewery Company (the parent company of Old Milwaukee) who had sued the company for sexual harassment among complaints that the ads created a negative work environment.
Patrick Scullin, who was responsible for creating the ad, said that he only regret was that he never got to give the Swedish Bikini Team a proper send off following the lawsuit. [2]
Following the end of the advertisements, some of the actresses continued acting into the late 1990s and 2000s.
Peggy Tretini, who played Ulla Swenson, the leader of the team, said in a 2012 interview that she enjoyed her brief stint with the team. She retired from acting in 2001 and currently works as a real estate agent in Orange County, California.[3]
Heather Elizabeth Parkhurst who played Hilgar Oblief , previously appeared on MWC during season 5, as Flopsie, the secretary at the Weenie Tots factory in "Weenie Tot Lovers and Other Strangers" and as Almond, one of the girls in Al's fantasy in "Route 666 (Part 2)". She also played Sherry on Top of the Heap in the episode "Behind the Eight Ball". Her last acting credit was in 2009.
Avalon Anders who played Uma Thorensen did not appear with the rest of the team on MWC, but later appeared on the show as Sandy, one of the bikini models at the Mr. Empty Pants photoshoot in the season 7 episode, "Mr. Empty Pants". Her last acting role was in 1998.
Appearance on MWC[]
In "The Mystery of Skull Island", they are mentioned by name. As Kelly talks to Al, she mentioned that the team offered her a ride home in the hopes that they could come in to the Bundy Residence and drink beer. But then Kelly remembered that Al told her that he didn't like anyone drinking his beer, and they instead picked up an older man, much to Al's disappointment.
In "The Gas Station Show", after Al decides to make Bud fill in for him after working at the Full Service pump, he puts the "Habib" shirt on his son and tells him the next car that pulls in will be his to service. The car that pulls up is a convertible featuring 4 of the models. One of them mentions that they love guys named "Habib" and invite Bud to go on ride with them down a long and bumpy road. He gleefully joins them in the back seat and he and the girls say "Bye, dad!".
References[]
- ↑ Swedish Bikini Team. TV Character Nicknames.
- ↑ Joe Sixpack:Sexing Up Old Milwaukee. The Philadelphia Inquirer.
- ↑ For Swedish Bikini Team model Peggy Trentini, it 'didn't get any better than this'. The Philadelphia Inquirer.