"I'll Call You"

I promise.

I have like so many become reliant on e-mail, Facebook, and Twitter for most of my correspondence with friends, relatives, and co-workers these days. On average I get anywhere from 50 to 60 e-mails on a typical day. That's just my office e-mail account. Add another dozen or so with G-mail. Our technology has allowed for more communication but it is often hurried without the proper niceties. Voice mail is another form of communication that clogs up our days. We stare at the blinking light and wonder if we have enough time between all of our other daily responsibilities to return a few calls. More often than not, we don't get to those callers as quickly as we would like.

The other day I had watched a video online that featured David Ogilvy giving a Pep Talk to the Direct Marketing group at Ogilvy & Mather in New York Circa 1977. I was curious about the video and what was behind asking the man to come out of retirement long enough to film a speech. I worked for a Creative Director years ago who is currently Worldwide Creative Director for Ogilvy and I decided to get in touch with him. Thinking maybe there was a slim chance he would be in his office and I could ask a few questions about the video, I called. His secretary put me through to his voice mail.

A day later I was on my way home from the office when my cell rang and the area code was 212. It was David Fowler calling me back. We spoke for a few minutes and I thanked him for returning my call. The exchange somehow meant a lot more to me than a text, an e-mail or a comment on my Facebook wall. He took time out of his busy day to call back. It dawned on me that I may have neglected people in my own life by hiding behind the easier and less personal methods of modern communication.

I have another Creative Director friend with whom I've stayed in touch over the years and he laments often (and sounds very much like my mother) that I never call him back. Well Glenn, I promise to call you back when you leave a message, you too mom.