Page Dimensions

Approx. 8 1/8" x 11" (20cm x 28cm)

Story and Details

We all know how James Bond likes his martini, “Shaken, not stirred.” And if you’re curious how he likes to sip on his bourbon, this 1966 Jim Beam advertisement shows us - “on the rocks.”

Sean Connery is a man who will live on forever because of his portrayal of Ian Flemming’s world-famous spy novel character, James Bond. There’s no one quite like agent 007, who has an envious repertoire of skills and qualities, including always getting the girl.

Around the time this ad was published, the latest Bond film was “Thunderball.” Interestingly there’s no mention of Connery’s Bond role in the ad. Rather, in fine print, the ad cross-promotes a lesser-known movie he starred in, “A Fine Madness.” It’s safe to say that men seeing this ad would connect Connery’s image to his James Bond persona. This being said, as a leading man of his time, Sean Connery was perfect to pitch bourbon. Like a perfect mixed drink, he possessed a unique blend of traits, both fictional and actual, to attract men wanting to emulate him in hopes to get a taste of his lifestyle.