Does Advertising Even Work?
Market Profs asks this question and follows up with, if so, when and why. But we should be also asking how advertising works (or does that fit under why ...) There is so much focus on which type, which medium, which vehicle, which formula is best. What about good old creative? I truly believe advertising works, but it is becoming less effective for two reasons: There is increasingly more of it, and increasingly more of it sucks. Why? We are less engaged with customers. We don't connect, except in very few cases. There must be more attention paid to how we connect with customers. They are smarter and more cynical.

The article from MarketingProfs is a good start. But I think the answer to the question posed above runs much deeper.