Sunday’s ad is by the Brewing Industry Foundation, from 1945, part of a series of ads the beer industry undertook just as World War 2 was ending, after their “Morale is a Lot of Little Things” series. They were also a precursor to the “Home Life in America” series that was numbered (and which I’ve featured before), and very similar. Each ad featured an original illustration or work of art by prominent artists of the time, along with the first use of the “Beer Belongs…enjoy it!” tagline. It’s also when the UBIF started using “America’s Beverage of Moderation” in their advertising.

In this ad, entitled “Harvest Time,” the scene is an outdoor dinner on a Kansas farm at harvest time, with the neighbors, too. The painting was done by Doris Lee, who was an “American painter known for her figurative painting and printmaking” from Aledo, Illinois.

Saturday’s ad is by the Brewing Industry Foundation, from 1945, part of a series of ads the beer industry undertook just as World War 2 was ending, after their “Morale is a Lot of Little Things” series. They were also a precursor to the “Home Life in America” series that was numbered (and which I’ve featured before), and very similar. Each ad featured an original illustration or work of art by prominent artists of the time, along with the first use of the “Beer Belongs…enjoy it!” tagline. It’s also when the UBIF started using “America’s Beverage of Moderation” in their advertising.

In this ad, entitled “Saturday Afternoon at Sportsman’s Park,” the scene is from high up in the stands at a baseball game. While the game is going on far below, a beer salesman is in view bringing welcome refreshment. The painting was done by Edward Laning, who “was an American painter” from Petersburg, Illinois.

Friday’s ad is by the Brewing Industry Foundation, from 1943, 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 just received a valentine from his son, and that “little” thing was his favorite piece of mail. You might wonder what that has to do with beer? Well, it’s one of many little things that “help to keep morale up” during the war. Oh, and I should add. “It happens that millions of Americans attach a special value to their right to enjoy a refreshing glass of beer.”

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.

Wednesday’s ad is by the Brewing Industry Foundation, from 1943, 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 woman is mailing a letter to the front, telling him all about little things back at home, none of which will be of any concern to the censors reading the letters to and from the war. Of course, it could be in code. But probably not. “A glass of beer — a small thing, surely, not of crucial importance to any of us. And yet — morale is a lot of little things like this.

Tuesday’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, reminiscing about little things, like fishing in Seward’s Creek, along with rowboats, baseball, and strawberries. Oh, and “the right to enjoy a refreshing glass of beer.”

Monday’s ad is by the Brewing Industry Foundation, from 1943, 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, Mr. Potter makes his wife breakfast in bed every Sunday. It’s one of the little things helping to build morale, like “a refreshing glass of beer.”

Sunday’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, and he’s remembering all of the picnics they used to take Mary on. I wonder if that’s the same Mary they earlier taught to use a baseball bat? It’s just another one of those little morale builders, like “the right to enjoy a refreshing glass of beer.”

Unfortunately, this was the best resolution of the ad I could find. But I did manage to find the original artwork, and it turns out it was done by Douglass Crockwell, who did a number of the Beer Belongs series that the UBIF did after the War and into the 1950s.

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.

Friday’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, reminiscing about the little things he was missing from home, like a hammock in the orchard, Mom’s bean suppers — again? — and teaching Mary how to hit a baseball with a bat. Oh, and “a refreshing glass of beer.”