First launched in the 1990s to support the ABC’s Reading Writing Roadshow, the Reading Writing Hotline paired a practical service with a tune you couldn’t shake. The 2001 version became the one most Australians know, running for years as a community service ad.

The melody does the heavy lifting. Digits are stretched and repeated until the number sticks. But the sound is almost inseparable from the visuals. The animated ads – created by the team behind Life. Be in It. – use a wobbly, hand-drawn style with simple characters and bright colours. The look is friendly and unpretentious, matching the message: help is available.

Together, the jingle and animation turn information into something easy to remember and easy to approach. Decades on, many Australians can still sing the number from memory – a small example of how sound and design can quietly support dignity and access in everyday life.