3 Advertising Lessons from the 1990s That Are Relevant for 2026 and Beyond

I was an Account Manager at a Mumbai ad agency in the 1990s. The agency followed an integrated agency model, where Account Management, Creative, Media, and Production (film and print) all worked together under one agency identity. This enabled true, meaningful collaboration between teams.

The standard business model was a 15% agency commission on media spends, with additional fees for artwork and other production requirements. Later, media departments were hived off into separate entities. Creative agencies continued producing what came to be known as “mainline advertising” and shifted to a retainer-based fee model. This fundamental change in the business model had negative ramifications across the industry, but that’s a topic for another day.

A lot has changed since then: new platforms, new technologies, changing media consumption habits, and much more. Yet I’d like to believe that some principles remain relevant for 2026 and beyond.

Marcom fundamentals are timeless

It’s fashionable to proclaim that advertising is dead, or that data is now at the centre of the advertising business. I believe creativity has always been, and will always remain, at the heart of the agency business. It is the creative mind that comes up with an innovative or ingenious solution to address a business problem or opportunity, using data or AI as enablers rather than substitutes. Clients should value this capability, and agencies should charge a premium for it.

More importantly, human nature has remained unchanged for millennia and is unlikely to change. As Bill Bernbach said:

“A communicator must be concerned with unchanging man, with his obsessive drive to survive, to be admired, to succeed, to love, to take care of his own.”

Or, as Dave Trott put it:

“People may change from horses to cars, but the motivation for travel remains.”

Platforms and technologies are like fads. They come and go. Human emotions endure, and brand communication should continue to appeal to them.

Theme over tactical, consistency over frequency

Back in the day, an annual campaign cycle typically included a thematic campaign supported by occasional tactical advertising for promotions, announcements, or topical events. Today, however, the pressure to be present across every platform and every occasion, often justified in the name of moment marketing and driven by FOMO, can leave consumers unclear about what a brand actually stands for.

Brands end up using inconsistent tones, visual styles, and messaging across channels. As a result, there is little opportunity to build the residual imagery or memory structures that strengthen brand recall.

The pressure to maintain a 24×7 presence across platforms also assumes that consumers actively want to see brand communication. The truth is that people pay attention only when something genuinely interests them.

As Howard Gossage famously observed in the 1950s:

“People don’t read ads. They read what interests them. Sometimes, it’s an ad.”

That insight remains just as relevant in 2026, whether you’re creating videos, blogs, tweets, or Reels.

Invest in distinctive brand assets such as colours, design elements, tone of voice, and taglines to build consistency and strengthen recall.

Also read: Brands No Longer Own Their Story. Their Audiences Do!

Be of value or be silent

People don’t open digital platforms looking forward to seeing advertisements. Ads are interruptions, so make them worthwhile.

Consumers decide within a split second whether your communication deserves their attention. Your brand’s competition is no longer just another advertisement; it’s everything else competing for that person’s attention.

So be of value. No one is going to notice if a laminate brand doesn’t post a Mother’s Day greeting.

The mindset of treating every festival, news event, or trending topic as an excuse to advertise or create social media content needs to change.

“Limit your availability to create exclusivity” is a principle worth believing in and practising.

– Written by Lakshmipathy Bhat, an independent marketing communications consultant with extensive experience at agencies including Grey and FCB Ulka, where he worked across Mumbai, Dhaka, Colombo, and Bangalore. He also served as the Global Head of Marketing & Communications at Robosoft Technologies, a B2B IT services firm. His blog, Bhatnaturally, has been active since 2008.