Thursday’s ad is by the Brewing Industry Foundation, from 1944, 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 U.S. Marine is writing a letter home, talking about the little things he remembers, including a model ship he never finished building. He also mentions Mary. This is the third time a Mary has been mentioned, so either she’s something of a floozy and “gets around” or it’s the same guy writing all of these letters.
