And you're shifting the goalpost. I never said they get you to buy something you (genuinely) don't want, I said they create needs.

Seems like you don't seriously disagree with that either, just over-interpreted my original statement.

I would also argue the idea of "genuine" needs is a fallacy. Unfortunately one that is common in economic thinking. There is not fixed hierarchy of external needs that we want to satisfy one after the other. That's a really bad model for human consumption behaviour.

If all your friends start having something most people will find that they start wanting it, too.