Certain Flash movies may require some heavier actors to appear from the first frame. The trick then is to provide some sort of preloader, or 'opening act', which keeps the audience occupied while the main show loads in the background. A true master integrates the preloader as a branding experience, or message, that literally and figuratively sets the stage for later action. But even a simple 'progress' bar would be better than a blank screen. No more than Photoshop can be blamed for those wonderful HTML-based sites that cram half a meg worth of unoptimized photos onto the home page.
Flash animations are nothing more than eye candy, and ugly to boot.
The reality is that Flash is a tool, not a solution. No business serious about making money uses Flash on their site. And yes, their prices reflect that level of sophistication. Armani would not be Armani if it took a bare-bones, warehouse approach to its look, feel and client base. These firms collectively spend billions of dollars on marketing, creating the very best of branding experiences for their customers.