Even in this friendly tavern there may be enemy ears
Loose-talk security poster: a stylised yellow face with a black forelock and square black moustache, one blue eye and a red cone-shaped ear on its side, set against a blue splash. Red and blue headline: enemy ears may be listening even in a tavern. The enemy is shown as a hidden listener, a fear-appeal addressed to civilians; the sheet is a company-sponsored ad.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1941
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- House of Seagram (Seagram-Distillers Corp., N.Y.C.); artist Essargee
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Corporation
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Themes
- Home front, Security and surveillance
- Event
- World War II
- Regime
- Roosevelt administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 44, World War II Posters, retrieved October 4, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work)
House of Seagram (Seagram-Distillers Corp., N.Y.C.); artist Essargee. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-731 (NAID 514219).
Text on the object
EVEN IN THIS FRIENDLY TAVERN THERE MAY BE ENEMY EARS STOP LOOSE TALK · RUMORS THIS POSTER IS PUBLISHED BY THE HOUSE OF SEAGRAM AS PART OF ITS CONTRIBUTION TO THE NATIONAL VICTORY EFFORT [signature:] ESSARGEE [imprint:] SEAGRAM—DISTILLERS CORP., N.Y.C.
