Has advertising lost its shine — or are we just looking at it differently?

If you go back to the 70s, getting into advertising wasn’t easy—and in some ways, that was part of its charm. In South Mumbai especially, agencies seemed to look for a certain kind of person. You had to speak well, sound right, and fit into a certain environment. It wasn’t written anywhere, but everyone understood it. There was an air of exclusivity, and for many young people, that made advertising feel aspirational.

It was not just a job; it felt like entry into a certain world. The people, the offices, the conversations—all of it carried a sense of identity. And perhaps because it was not easily accessible, it held a certain shine.

The Industry Opens Up

Things started changing once television became more widespread and Doordarshan began reaching homes across the country. Suddenly, brands weren’t just talking to one kind of audience. They had to speak to people in different languages, from different regions, with very different realities.

This shift naturally changed hiring patterns. Agencies began to look beyond the usual circles. People from smaller towns, who understood local nuances better, started becoming important. They brought with them a sense of authenticity that was earlier missing.

This phase made advertising richer. It was no longer about sounding good—it was about connecting well. And that required a very different kind of thinking.

The MBA Phase — A Short-Lived Shift

Then came a phase when agencies seemed quite keen on hiring MBAs, particularly from top institutes. It brought a different kind of thinking—more structured, more business-oriented. Strategy started getting more attention, and the industry appeared to be moving towards a more organized way of functioning.

For a while, advertising looked like a serious and even attractive career option for these graduates. It offered a mix of creativity and corporate exposure, which was quite unique at that time.

But this phase didn’t quite sustain. Over time, other sectors started pulling ahead—consulting, finance, and later technology. Better salaries, clearer roles, and faster growth made those options hard to ignore. Advertising slowly slipped down the list of preferred careers, especially among top-tier graduates.

The Gap Between Effort and Reward

Even now, if you ask anyone in the industry, they’ll tell you the exposure is unmatched. You work on different brands, different categories, and different kinds of problems. You learn quickly, often earlier than your peers in other industries.

But the flip side is hard to miss. The hours are long, deadlines rarely move, and the pressure is constant. Despite this, compensation does not always reflect the effort that goes in. Over time, this imbalance becomes difficult to justify.

For many, the question is not whether they enjoy the work—it is whether the trade-off makes sense in the long run. Increasingly, people are choosing stability and financial growth over creative satisfaction.

Learning Isn’t What It Used to Be

There was a time when agencies were places where you really learnt the craft. You had seniors who took the time to guide you. You worked on fewer things, but you went deeper. There was space to think, to refine, and to improve.

Now everything moves faster. Digital has changed the rhythm completely. There’s always something to be put out—another post, another piece of content, another campaign. The emphasis is on speed and consistency rather than depth.

You still learn, but the nature of that learning is different. It is more immediate and more execution-driven. Somewhere along the way, the depth that once defined advertising seems to have reduced.

Why Many Are Moving On

It’s not surprising that a lot of people from advertising and PR are moving to the brand side. The reasons are fairly practical. Better pay, more predictable schedules, and a stronger sense of control over what you’re doing.

On the agency side, you’re constantly responding to client expectations. On the brand side, you are part of the decision-making process. That difference, though subtle on paper, feels significant in everyday work life.

This shift has been gradual but steady, and it continues even today.

The Technology Factor

Then there’s the question of technology. A lot of the work that earlier required teams can now be done faster and with fewer people. Tools are getting better at writing, designing, and even planning campaigns.

For someone starting out, that raises a valid concern—what does the future of these roles look like? It’s not that opportunities are disappearing, but they are definitely evolving. The industry now demands a mix of creativity and technological understanding.

This transition phase creates uncertainty, and uncertainty often discourages fresh talent from entering.

Clients Building Their Own Teams

Another change that’s quite visible is brands building in-house teams. It gives them speed, control, and often better alignment with their business goals. Many companies now prefer to handle content and communication internally, at least to some extent.

For agencies, this means less steady business and more project-based work. That kind of unpredictability affects not just revenues, but also hiring and retention.

Over time, it changes how the industry functions at a fundamental level.

So, Has Advertising Really Lost Its Shine?

Maybe not lost—but it’s certainly different. Earlier, it was one of the few exciting and visible career options. Today, it is one among many, competing with industries that offer very different kinds of rewards.

The industry itself has not become less relevant. If anything, brands need stronger communication now than ever before. But the way people evaluate careers has changed. Expectations are higher, and options are wider.

Looking at It Today

Perhaps what we are seeing is not a decline, but a shift. Advertising still attracts people—but usually those who genuinely want to be there, not just those chasing a certain image.

It’s less glamorous on the surface, more demanding in reality, and definitely more uncertain than before. At the same time, it remains one of the few fields where ideas can still make a visible impact.

Maybe the shine hasn’t gone away. It just isn’t as obvious as it once was—and perhaps, that’s not entirely a bad thing.