I think positioning any kind of advertising as "helpfully informing" consumers is wrong. The ad wants me to buy the product. That's its purpose. No matter if it's bad for me. No matter if it's useless, or overpriced, or a competitor makes a better one. If a product I happen to buy because of an ad is actually the best use of my money, that's nothing more than a happy coincidence. No ad ever gave a list of reasons why you shouldn't buy a product.
When someone clearly lists the merits of a product without conflict of interest, then that does indeed lets people known what goods and services make their lives better. We have a different word for that - a "review". The purpose of an ad, by definition, is not to inform - the purpose is to persuade. They are opposites.
When someone clearly lists the merits of a product without conflict of interest, then that does indeed lets people known what goods and services make their lives better. We have a different word for that - a "review". The purpose of an ad, by definition, is not to inform - the purpose is to persuade. They are opposites.