In today’s attention-starved world, where consumers are hit with thousands of brand messages daily, even the most striking ads risk being forgotten—or worse, misattributed—if they fail to forge a strong link to the brand. While creativity remains the lifeblood of advertising, experts argue it must be grounded in brand truth. Otherwise, campaigns may entertain but fail to build the brand memory structures that truly stick.
A Case of Mistaken Identity
Watching an IPL match recently, I found myself unconsciously humming a catchy jingle from an ad featuring Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh. It was lavishly shot and felt like a throwback to the Bollywood of the ’80s and ’90s. When my sister asked who the ad was for, I confidently said Goibibo. She corrected me: it was MakeMyTrip.
If even an advertising-savvy viewer like me can misattribute an ad, what hope does the average cricket fan—already distracted between overs—have?
This is the central dilemma of modern branding: the tension between creative impact and brand association. As Aarti Srinivasan, Head of Creative at Curativity, warns, hearing someone say “What an ad! But I don’t remember the brand!” is a red flag for any marketer. With consumer attention stretched thin, cutting through the clutter is not enough—the message must also land squarely on the brand.
The Brilliance Blind Spot
Why do creatively successful ads fail to deliver brand recall?
According to Afshaad Kelawaala, EVP – Brand Solutions at Schbang, the issue arises when ads focus too much on being clever and too little on communicating what the product actually solves. “Keep it simple. Creativity is essential, but the product’s use case must be clear,” he says.
Priti Nair, Founder of Curry Nation, adds that when creative ideas aren’t deeply rooted in the brand’s core truth, they can easily be mistaken for a competitor’s. In a market like India, where emotional storytelling is prevalent, many ads “dazzle but don’t deliver.” But brands like Amul stand out precisely because their storytelling style is unmistakably theirs.
Abhik Santara, Director & CEO of ^ a t o m and Founding Partner at by The Network, emphasizes category relevance. “Consumers don’t seek out brand messages,” he says. Ads that entertain but fail to justify their brand’s place in the narrative end up as orphaned creativity.
Arvind Krishnan, Founder & CEO of Manja, draws a key distinction: execution cut-through vs branded cut-through. The former means people remember the ad; the latter means they remember the ad and associate it with the brand. “If it’s a new brand, the product must be front and centre. For established brands, distinctive assets must be unmissable,” he says.
Srinivasan sums it up: “Memorability without brand recall is a waste of money.”
The “Who Was That For Again?” Effect
We’ve all experienced this: a memorable ad that makes you laugh or cry—but you can’t recall the brand. Sometimes, you even credit the wrong one.
Santara recalls the iconic “Men Will Be Men” campaign. Despite its popularity, many—even within the industry—struggle to remember the actual brand behind it. “If the brand or category isn’t integral to the ad’s execution, people remember the line, not the brand,” he says.
Nair sees this problem often. If a brand doesn’t own its visual language, characters, or tone, competitors can hijack the ad’s impact. “Don’t just tell a good story. Tell it your way,” she advises. Think Fevicol’s unmistakable absurdity or Paper Boat’s nostalgic lens.
Krishnan points to the deo wars, where every ad mimicked Axe’s formula. “If it was half-decent, people thought it was Axe,” he says. The solution? Relevant differentiation at the product or brand idea level.
Building Strong Brand Associations
Avoiding misattribution is one thing—actively building recall is another. How do the best campaigns do both?
For Srinivasan, the goal is simple: create an idea only your brand can own. Whether it stems from a brand’s values, name, logo, or customer experience, this “ownable cut” makes the brand inseparable from the creative.
Kelawaala agrees: it’s all about human-first storytelling. “Remember, you’re speaking to people—not screens,” he says.
Consistency is another pillar. Santara laments its decline: “Brands keep changing core elements to seem fresh, but that’s hara-kiri.” Nair echoes this: “Great brands are boringly consistent.” Whether it’s a sonic cue, a color palette, or a cultural lens—consistency builds recognition. Think Surf Excel’s Daag Acche Hain or Tata Tea’s Jaago Re.
Krishnan reinforces the importance of a single-minded proposition and disciplined use of brand assets. “Give branding pride of place. Treat it like a signature, not a chore,” he says.
Santara adds a warning: influencers and UGC are useful for reach, not brand building. “Relying on rented, part-time voices dilutes brand identity.”
Category Clutter and Creative Distinction
In visually saturated categories like luxury, fintech, or smartphones, it’s easy for campaigns to blur together.
Nair advises brands to develop a creative signature, not just an ad format. “Don’t just follow category tropes—own your version of them,” she says. Everyone in fintech is showing stylish young people drinking coffee. Be the brand that shows something different.
Santara goes a step further: disrupt the process. “Stop hiring based on category experience,” he says. “If I can make puran poli in an original way, I can bring the same creativity to making medu vada.”
Krishnan keeps it simple: “Be bolder. Give creatives more time.”
Channel Context and Strategic Briefs
Media channels matter, but not in isolation. Santara explains: “TV, Instagram, YouTube—they’re all consumed differently. Ads must be tailored for the platform.”
Nair agrees. “Repurposing the same ad everywhere is lazy branding. Use channel-native strategies. Branding is a system of signals, not a single execution.”
And what about the creative brief? Does “brand-first” mean less originality?
Kelawaala sees both sides. Legacy brands are often rigid, while new brands allow more creative freedom. But consistency doesn’t have to kill creativity.
Santara supports the trend: “Originality doesn’t mean schizophrenia.”
Nair calls the brief a potential “springboard, not a cage.” A restrictive brief limits originality. But a clear brand truth? That can be a launchpad for fearless storytelling.
Krishnan and Srinivasan agree: the best advertising has always been brand-first. Creative work only qualifies as good if it serves the brand.
In Conclusion
In the crowded battlefield of modern advertising, winning attention is only half the battle. To make a lasting impression, creativity must serve the brand—not overshadow it. That means digging deep into brand truth, building consistency, owning distinctive assets, and crafting human-first stories that could only come from your brand.
Otherwise, even the most dazzling ad might fade into the noise—beautiful, entertaining, and completely forgettable.
