A quick look at South Africa's top five websites by traffic leaves one questioning one's own mortality and cheering for the quicker uptake of ad blockers. Almost all of them have dull, hard-sell retail banners flogging some form of insurance product, either for short-term or death and disability. I'd rather click my thumb out of its socket than click through.In spite of what the digital advertising lobby tells us about the platform offering more opportunity for brands to engage more imaginatively with consumers, there is little evidence of it, and brands and agencies wanting to play in this space should really try harder.story_article_left1The trade publication Ad Age reports that the adoption of ad blockers in the US is climbing at an alarming rate, with usage doubling since 2013.This is because people hate irrelevant, intrusive and offensive advertising, and all too often that is what brands dish up.Digital players will argue that the essence of website advertising is response-based and the offer or incentive is far more important.Right back at you: if the ad looks enticing, the more likely I am to navigate away from my original information-gathering journey and enter your commercial portal. As well as the offer in terms of relevancy and targeting, content experience is far more important and, in the long term, more beneficial.So now that I've built up a head of steam, let the more traditional advertising platforms not escape critical scrutiny.This past week, I hosted an event called AdForum, where a panel of advertising experts are shown a bunch of TV commercials and asked to rate them on insight, creative execution, strategy and memorability.block_quotes_start I'd like the ad industry to give me something to talk and smile about again, whatever the medium block_quotes_endIt was the turn of the auto industry, which, apart from a low-budget parts ad from Toyota, was unable to produce anything that would have recall longer than nine seconds - the average memory span of a goldfish.Wry advertising commentator Andy Rice called the ads a motley collection of electronic billboards, much to the discomfort of brand managers in the room who brief and pay for this rubbish.I hope they do some real soul-searching.story_article_right2There was a time when consumers became excited about a new TV commercial, because it had a great idea, compelling narrative and excellent craft.With some exceptions, that happens rarely these days, as we see endless collages of stock footage edited together, with a badly written voice-over.Great creative work, notes Ad Age, gets viewed, discussed, shared, talked about and remembered for years.My only recollection of a TV ad in recent weeks involved a hypersexualised dog making an obscure point for a cellphone network.I'd like the ad industry to give me something to talk and smile about again, whatever the medium.Maggs is a broadcaster and writer and edits the marketing and brand website theredzone.co.za..