While I do agree that there are flaws in the social media marketing model as it stands - where they are eyeballs, there will always be advertising.
We’ve become accustomed to the having adverts while watching TV and listening to the radio. It’s a natural part of modern life and I think most of us will have to live with it.
Why? Well the flip side is no advertising means less products are bought and sold and a depressed economy (and I realise that’s a crude analogy but ultimately whatever industry you work in relies on buying and selling).
Personally what I’d like to see is brands that earn the right to advertise to people ie brands that take a stand on an issue that I’m personally aligned to so I don’t feel they are intruding. As an example, Arsenal FC could probably try and sell me X-Factor tickets and I wouldn’t be offended. The trick for brands is finding something (over and above selling) that they stand for and resist the temptation to go for those people who will probably never to buy from them (in this case Tottenham fans).