In today’s saturated media landscape, forgettable content is not just a creative failure — it is a commercial one. Dull media, often driven by safe strategies and automation, floods our feeds but does not connect. It wastes budgets, erodes trust, and is too easily ignored.
As attention spans shrink and audiences become more selective, bland content is becoming a liability. As the recent Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity proves, the most successful brands are not those who play it safe — they embrace bold, distinctive, and emotionally resonant storytelling. Why? Because it works.
It has been nearly two decades since The Long and the Short of It, the seminal work of Les Binet and Peter Field, first embedded the 60/40 brand building-effectiveness split into a generation of media effectiveness professionals. And while the media landscape has shifted seismically over that time, its core argument — that long-term brand building is worth more to brands than short-term sales uplifts — remains true.
That finding is reflected in epic terms in the latest collaboration from Field, Dr Karen Nelson-Field and Adam Morgan, The Eye Watering Cost of Dull Media. Their research finds that just 17% of ads cross the viewable 2-second attention threshold. Building upon their previous landmark study that exposed the pitfalls of dull creative, the researchers find that even good creative, when paired with dull media, is destined to fail.
Research from System1 and Effie Worldwide, The Creative Dividend, further showcases that creativity is an asset for brands: campaigns that blend emotional appeal, brand fluency, and consistency can deliver up to 21× more profit than low-quality, functional ads. Creativity is not a luxury — it is a growth multiplier.
the7stars’ approach reflects this thinking. We believe creativity is not a cost — it is capital. And in a noisy, fragmented environment, standing out is not optional; it is essential. Campaigns that cut through and connect meaningfully drive stronger ROI, brand affinity, and long-term equity.
This is backed by the 2025 Kantar BrandZ report, which highlights how innovation, trust, and cultural relevance underpin the world’s most valuable brands. It shows that businesses winning today are those that adapt with purpose, clarity, and creative boldness. BrandZ’s unique methodology — blending consumer perception with financial performance — proves that intangible elements like sentiment and storytelling have measurable commercial value.
Of course, creativity comes with challenges: longer lead times, bigger up-front investment, and no instant wins. But brands that invest in creativity gain a lasting competitive edge — one that risk-averse strategies simply cannot deliver.
For brands, the message is clear: media that fails to make an impact is media that fails. Dull content disappears. Smart brands are shifting away from formulaic campaigns toward distinctive, human storytelling. The future belongs to those who dare to stand out.
