If theymos were to ban signature campaigns, the forum would lose almost all members and it would drift in to obscurity (except for the library and reference analogy).
That is absolutely right. Not only ban of signature campaigns negatively affect this forum but on the other hand, if signature campaigns lower pay rate as low as 40-50 USD per week, then this forum will experience significant lose of high quality posters and will be left with bunch of spammers. By the way, I wonder why other forums didn't copy this strategy of Bitcointalk, i.e. to allow signature campaigns. I don't wanna be "that" guy but I think that o_e_l_e_o was here because of high pay rate and he left because of low pay rate and we lost a very amazing member because of that! o_e_l_e_o was a real asset (I know he said that he had an illness but I don't believe it, sorry but I love him, he will always be in my memory).
I believe these cosmetics are why the signature campaigns work so well.
I think I agree with you but on the other hand, these cosmetics are why this forum struggles to attract youth. At least theymos has to make this forum responsive, it's not that hard.