Southwestern Bell — “When you’re choosing a conversation piece, BE CHOOSEY.”

A phone ad that’s really selling taste management for your countertop.

What this ad is really doing

It turns a utility into a status object. Not “this call sounds clearer,” but “this looks correct in your kitchen.” The product isn’t communication — it’s a curated surface.

Why it worked then

Telephones had become part of the home’s identity kit: appliances, decor, and personality in one. The ad frames choice itself as sophistication.

Why it feels unhinged now

A modern phone is designed to disappear. This one demands a spotlight — and the copy treats “taste” like a civic duty.

Status: Alive (as a scan). Cause of death: the slab won, and the countertop lost.