Advertising is interfering seriously with how a competitive economy should work.  Brand names, trade marks, and the efforts thereby people who sell ordinary stuff try to make you think it is not ordinary, so they can charge more.  Also propaganda tactics in advertising -- especially testimonials and bandwagon tactics and glittering generalities and loaded words.  And the stupid music and the appeals to patriotism or the use of cute babies or animals -- I saw one where babies were selling a lubricating oil.


All this "marketing" is really corrupt lying (misrepresentation and deceit are lies).  It is amazing modern societies tolerate it.  This corruption is much more damaging to society than slipping the customs inspector a fiver.