Not everything that’s efficient is effective. And yet, much of today’s marketing acts like the two are synonymous.

We’re caught in a headlong sprint toward fast, undistinguishable, lower-funnel content – particularly short-form video – as if the sheer volume of output will somehow compensate for its diminishing impact.

It won’t.

Having sat through several recent industry events, I’ve been struck by how deeply entrenched this thinking has become. The obsession with quick wins, driven by short-term reporting cycles, has led to what I can only describe as a race to the bottom in parts of our industry. What’s being lost in the process is creative effectiveness, connection and craft, all of which deliver commercial value.

Short-form videos have their place. A well-timed Tiktok can be magic. But when these formats become the default setting, attempting to drive the entire funnel, we’re not building memorable brands – we’re making wallpaper at best, advertising landfill at worst. Frequency without meaning? That’s just noise. And noise wears thin fast.

Formulaic, paint-by-numbers ads made to fit algorithmic norms........

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