Reach Out & Touch Someone? It’s Good Advice

When advertisers want to sell something, the first thing they need to know is what their audience really wants, needs or just can’t live without. What do they desire or possibly long for that their product can cure, relieve or accomplish?

Having worked in radio advertising on and off throughout my career, I get that. But to get the most bang for your buck, how do you leave your audience with that lasting impression that they just can’t live without your product?  In 1979, AT&T hit the motherlode when they rolled out the jingle that did just that. Composer David Lucas penned a slogan that became so well-known that AT&T Wireless revived it in 2003.  And to this day, some would say it’s one of advertising’s greatest slogans. How old were you when you first heard the TV ad imploring you to “Reach Out and Touch Someone?”  And back then, what was the holy grail to achieve that?  Why, grab that mustard gold telephone, attached to the six foot coiling cord, and dive into the next room or closet and call your favorite person!

There were a lot of warm fuzzies and bear hugs in AT&T’s accolade that reminded us how much we crave connection with other others. And back in 1979 parents acknowledged that if they ever wanted an opportunity to make a call themselves, they likely needed to add phone lines in other rooms to just “reach out.” This, in turn, led people to believe that their household needed additional phones, which, you guessed it, sold more of their product.  Maybe that’s why so many psychology majors end up in the business world!

Fast forward to 2025.  Have our needs, wants and desires changed?   Is there anyone out there who doesn’t crave personal connection?  And doesn’t every living being beyond the age of 10 typically have their own cell phone these days?  How much more connected could we be?

I don’t know about you, but I think we may have gone backward. I think maybe AT&T should revive their slogan once again. Yes, we do have the means to reach out and touch someone at any given moment. But do we? Or are we too busy, editing our calendars, playing Candy Crush or scrolling through Facebook Marketplace for the next great bargain?  Guilty as charged. 

When did these things get more important than the ones we love?

I’m a big believer in the “abundance mentality,” but I also believe that too much of a good thing is not a good thing. How many times have you randomly thought about someone in your lifetime who really had an impact in your life? I don’t know about you, but it happens to me all the time. I’m also a big believer in the theory of “ don’t just say it, do it!”  You know, when you tell someone “let’s do lunch sometime!” – and it rarely ever happens.

Several years ago and out of the blue, I thought about a sorority sister of mine, who also happened to be my roommate for a semester. Valerie Newman – one of the funniest, quirkiest, sweetest and sincerest people I’ve ever met. I found myself wondering, whatever happened to her?  I had so many wonderful memories with her and remembered how much joy I felt in her company. I think I’m going to call her!  Luckily, I had her contact information still. So after some nervous anticipation, I picked up my flip phone and gave her a call. After she got over the surprise of hearing from a ghost of the past, the years melted away, and we found ourselves laughing hysterically at some of the fun antics we enjoyed in our college days. An hour passed, and we didn’t even realize it.

But what we did realize, was how powerful our connection had been, and still was. Love doesn’t have an expiration date. And neither did our friendship. Now, I’m not gonna tell you that we became BFFs again, nor do we talk on a daily basis. But I see her on Facebook and I love to see her achievements as a national pickleball contender. I did get a chance to see her at a sorority reunion a few years back, and my joy was on overload, seeing her and so many well-loved sisters from my college days. 

There are so many people I think about these days throughout my 66 years. People who have really impacted my life in one way or another that I will never, ever forget. I want them to know how much joy and meaning they have brought to my life and that they’re more than a memory.  So now, when I reflect back and remember someone that I once held dear, I find myself doing as AT&T instructed.  It fills my cup and leaves me wanting more. I’ve got a lot of wonderful people in my past as a native of Noblesville so watch out!  You just may be next on my list!

Branna (McCarty) Shores believes that “HOME is where your story begins.” A Noblesville native and proud graduate of NHS and Purdue University, she is a professional speaker, advocate for mental health and work / family balance and retired social worker. Branna is the mother of two grown daughters, six precious grandchildren and wife of one brave husband! Her passions include singing, writing and sharing the lighter side of life through lessons learned, both personally and professionally. She can be contacted at [email protected]