Advertising for the Pabst Brewery was essential in the nineteenth century. The Best Extract or Tonic became the most advertised of any of the Pabst products.
According to Thomas Cochran in his book The Pabst Brewing Company: The History of an American Business: “The years between 1893 and 1901 covered the greatest deelopment in the early history of American advertising.”
A promotional brochure in the 1890s to druggists, who sold the Pabst Best Tonic in their pharmacies, said that a poor proprietary article which has no advertising margin cannot live because no permanent demand for it can be created. The brochure said, “You know this. Our product is acknowledged to be A 1. We are the only proprietor who absolutely guarantees that he will take the goods off the druggist’s shelf and give his money back. Our advertising efforts make the article ‘a good seller’ .”
The Pabst Tonic product became a success through its advertising.