Saturday’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, a man is sitting on a chair, practicing on his fly fishing, which is one of the little things important to him, and if the ad is to be believed, “[i]f you’re a man, it’s a shine on your shoes … the sweet feel of a fly rod in your hand.” I don’t think I realized that all men love fly fishing. I’m glad that’s not true anymore, because I’ve never felt the urge to spend any time standing next to water for hours on end, not when there’s a perfectly good fish and chips shop near my house.
