I don't dispute that it works. I claim that the fact that it works is a bad thing. It is actively bad for the buyer and, even for the seller, is probably zero-sum.
Who doesn't know what Coca-Cola is? Who doesn't know what a Macbook is? Who doesn't know what Disney is? Who doesn't know that Ford makes trucks? Who doesn't know that Budweiser makes beer?
You have a theoretical justification for advertisement. If you actually switch on your TV, you will see almost entirely advertisements for products you already know of that are making a purely emotional appeal.
Look at these companies:
https://www.businessinsider.com/10-biggest-advertising-spend...
Every company is a household name.
Look at these ads:
https://www.adsoftheworld.com/collection/2018_super_bowl_com...
How many of them inform you of something you've never heard of? How many of them make a logical argument rather than just baffling you with bullshit?
from the vantage point of 2019, it seems obvious that these are well known brands that don't need to increase awareness of themselves. but they got to this position by making relatively good products and adeptly managing their brands over decades.
at this point, advertisements communicate brand values more than information about specific products, but I would argue this is actually helpful for the consumer in some cases.
if I'm on a tight budget and need a new computer, I already know not to waste time browsing apple or falcon-northwest products. if I'm a contractor and need a work truck, I'm not going to the porsche dealer. advertisements aren't going to help me choose between chevy and ford, but they can narrow down my search considerably. most ads communicate pretty clearly whether or not you are the target audience for a product, without spending hours comparing technical specs.