My point is two-fold: 1. There exists a sophisticated art and science of "subconscious" and it's used extensively in the advertising industry. 2. Even if you isolate yourself from ads personally, there is a huge and largely inescapable effect from rampant commercial advertising.

If the fact that a soda company can suborn an ancient figure like Saint Nick so completely that no one remembers it happened doesn't drive the point home then consider this: Diamond engagement rings are a deliberately ad-created "tradition".

https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/02/ho...

I'm not disagreeing with any of that.

I'm just supporting what the other poster said about advertising not always having the intended effect.

There are some brands I actively avoid simply because I didn't like their advertisements, or how often they advertise and others where no amount of advertising will convince me to use their product (like Coke for example, because I think it tastes vile and I know it's basically just unhealthy sugar water).

Ah, cheers. I think I was a little worked up yesterday. ;-)

And I agree with you about advertising and unintended effects. To me modern life seems more and more like a giant open-ended experiment, one with no control group...