Thinking about the Febreze vs. Glade example, what's your opinion of the state of brand-building advertising in digital? Why do so many brands get the creative wrong, and what creative elements should brands think about with digital ads to break through?

Creative that evokes emotions outperforms creative that fails to do so.  Static images that are confined to small pixel dimensions on a fraction of a consumer's screen in some random context are not well positioned to both attract attention and invoke an emotional response.  I think the most common failure in digital media when it comes to creative (momentarily ignoring the importance of contextual placement and targeting) is a failure to link the brand's core benefit to an emotionally appealing implication that's relevant to the consumer.  For example, Health-Ade Kombucha doesn't simply claim "Refreshing, great flavor that's good for you.", they proclaim "Get Healthy. Get Happy. Get (their product shown via a picture)."   That implication of how the consumer will feel as a result of consuming the brand's product can make all the difference.   Will I feel as handsome, desirable and fulfilled as George Clooney if I drink Nespresso?  Perhaps not, but that's how their simple ad imagery works.  Using a creative that implies how you'll feel isn't the only way to break through via digital, but it's proven to be a particularly successful approach.