I think people like to see marketing as an art when in reality it is more of a science. Ads are engineered to be cost effective, and the design simply follows from that incentive. By taking up any of your attention, even if it’s in the background, even if it’s a small patch on an athlete’s uniform, it will help the product sell. If it didn’t, advertisers wouldn’t have put it there.

They have more data than you, they are smarter than you, and all they care about is selling their product. You are a tool to boost profit, even if you don’t directly give them money, your attention is all they need.

Like, this comic is actually a good example of how an anti-consumption response to an ad can actually help sales. If she never knew about Dragon Marrow, she wouldn’t be opposed to it, but you will inevitably just give Dragon Marrow free marketing every time you talk negatively about them. You may drive a majority of people that hear you complain away from it, but maybe one or two of your friends decide to try it anyways, people who would not have heard of it until you complained.

Attention is the goal, not a specific emotional response. You can’t outsmart an ad by watching it.