74Signal
Score
B
Brand Strategy Insiderby David StewartApril 1, 2026

Most Advertising Problems Are Not Advertising Problems

The article highlights that many issues in advertising may stem from broader brand strategy challenges rather than just creativity. Brands need to reassess their overall approach and consider factors like media fragmentation and the impact of AI on consumer engagement to enhance their advertising effectiveness.

◎ Emergingstrategycampaign

Brand Strategy Insider: There is much angst about the state of advertising. Various commentators in the industry and in the general media have bemoaned a creativity crisis, which is attributed to everything from short-termism to artificial intelligence to the fragmentation of media. There is some evidence that advertising’s persuasive power has declined in recent years. It is less clear that this decline is attributable to a lessening of creativity in advertising.

Intelligence PanelSignal score: 74 / 100
Primary Signal
Emerging
Building momentum — trajectory being tracked
Brand Impact
High
Impact score: 75/100 — broad strategic implications for brand positioning
Novelty
Moderate
Novelty: 60/100 — iterative development of an existing theme
Action Priority
Soon
Flag for the next strategic review cycle
Scoring Rationale

The article addresses significant challenges in advertising that are rooted in brand strategy, making it highly relevant and impactful for professionals in the field, though the concept of broader brand issues affecting advertising is not entirely new.

75
Impact
weight 35%
60
Novelty
weight 30%
85
Relevance
weight 35%
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