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Comment by spockz

4 hours ago

But only if that result contains all the facts, and doesn’t show only the fridge that they have an ad for while there also other fridges that fit.

Advertising really only helps in two scenarios - it makes you aware of a class of product you had no idea existed (perhaps searching for toilet paper shows you a bidet ad) - or it makes you aware of a brand you hadn’t considered before.

And even the second is on shaky ground because by design it won’t tell you really where it stacks up.

I suppose you could argue that making you aware of sales/deals is “helpful” but that’s closer to what I’d classify most advertising as - zero-sum.

(Advertising of a different kind has a use, allowing companies to “sponsor” activities they like in a way the shareholders won’t revolt over. The more you consider companies to be feudal lordships the more it all starts to make sense.)