Effective advertising isn't information, it's manipulation. Ads "work" by creating a sense of lack that didn't exist previously, or by co-opting your decision

Effective advertising isn't information, it's manipulation. Ads "work" by creating a sense of lack that didn't exist previously, or by co-opting your decision making process with gratuitous associations. On top of that, advertising is effectively forced on people. Given that many people actively try to avoid advertising, it seems clear that this is a negative point. If advertising was objective and unbiased, and it was only presented to people actively seeking information about products, it would be a net benefit to society. As it stands, I believe it is a net detriment.