Comment by KoftaBob

> The part that really struck me was framing advertising and propaganda as essentially the same mechanism - just with different masters.

A big reason for that is influence from Edward Bernays:

"Edward Louis Bernays was an American pioneer in the field of public relations and propaganda, referred to in his obituary as "the father of public relations". While credited with advancing the profession of public relations, his techniques have been criticized for manipulating public opinion, often in ways that undermined individual autonomy and democratic values."

Bernays' mother, Anna, was Sigmund Freud's sister. There seemed to be a talent in that family in understanding the human psyche, and how to utilize that understanding.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Bernays