That’s a really thoughtful post. I agree with you signature campaigns back in the day were more than just a way to earn a bit of BTC. For many, they acted like training wheels, giving newcomers a reason to read more carefully, think critically, and improve the quality of their posts.
I don't think so, newcomers are more concerned about getting merit instead of qualifying for a campaign, although there's a chance they want to earn merit with a purpose to participate in signature campaign.
If newcomers come to this forum and looking for signature campaign, there are only two possibilities, either they're alt accounts or introduced by other people if they earn from this forum.