Advertising's Missed Mission: Differentiation

Advertising has forgotten its original mission of defining and differentiating brands. As agencies lose the ability to differentiate themselves, they become a commodity subject to price competition. Without clear differentiation, the value of advertising becomes undifferentiated as well, allowing procurement to prioritize cost over creativity. In the past, advertising served to highlight the unique qualities of brands, but now the industry has become more focused on undifferentiated rectangles, leading to a decline in creativity and a push towards commodity pricing.