Might I ask from what school of thought you happen to be a graduate that allows you to prescribe to the notion that it's not advertising's job to 'sell'? I agree with your idea that advertising is meant to inspire, to make us think...but you're forgetting the end that it's trying to achieve, and that one of the main tenets of a successful ad campaign is its ability to connect with a consumer and eventually (get this) sell a product to said consumer. I'm sorry, Smoot, but inspiration doesn't pay the bills. Selling a client's product for them via intelligent advertising placement does.