Friday’s ad is by the Brewing Industry Foundation, from 1942, part of a series of ads the beer industry undertook during World War 2 under the title “Morale is a Lot of Little Things.” It was one of the first concerted efforts by the brewing industry after they were getting back on their feet after prohibition finally ended around a decade before. The series tried to show support for the troops and help with morale at home. And it must have worked, because the campaign won awards at the time. In this ad, “there’s Bill reading that letter again.” In most of these ads, they talk about writing letters, which must seem odd to a generation who never writes letter at all; texts, e-mail, etc. but the thrill of getting and reading a handwritten letter in the mailbox is lost today. I can’t remember the last time I wrote a personal letter, either, so it’s me as well. But I do miss them a bit. Sometimes I think not all progress has been for the better. And I imagine a letter from your folks while hundreds of miles away, fighting in a war, which be a pretty meaningful letter, with or without a “cool, refreshing glass of beer.”
