3 minutes, 45 seconds. Give or take. That’s how long I hugged my son, Zach, in the Denver airport parking lot, after not seeing him for over 18 months. Then it was his dad’s turn. Then mine again. Then it began again with our daughter-in-law. And hugging our 2-year-old granddaughter, who was basically the size of a loaf of bread last time we saw her, went on for days. This scenario played out all over the world. In airports. In homes. In restaurants. In offices. It was all about the hug.

15 minutes, 32 seconds. That’s how much productive time was lost at RITTA the first day back in the office this summer. Each person who walked through the door was hugged by all who proceeded them. Sure, we had seen each other on Zooms and talked endlessly on the phone, but at the end of the day, we all needed the comfort and connection of a hug.

30 seconds. BMW’s charming 2020 holiday spot called “Epic Reunion,” featured racecar drivers who screeched to a halt in a driveway to outfit grandparents with helmets and racing suits so they could hug their grandson. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cHICkKudFw

15 seconds. A very emotional spot to encourage folks to get vaccinated entitled “Because Hugs” showed a little boy racing down the sidewalk yelling to his friend “William! William! William!” while his mom cried off camera. The end super was simply, “Get back to what you love.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bz4IDPoGfY

2 minutes, 30 seconds. VRBO created a touching campaign where unsuspecting people, who thought they were participating in a commercial, were secretly being reunited with extended family. The compilation video, featuring John Legend’s cover of “I Can See Clearly Now” had so many hugs I lost count. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-k14RoLo9k

We are still uncertain as to when COVID will truly be in the rearview mirror, but one thing is for sure – this list will keep growing. Events and changing attitudes make their way into how we market and sell products and services, because well-crafted advertising reflects our wants and desires. And right now, we all want a hug. For me, it’s about time.