Tangentially related, I think political advertising actually does work. Not just ads ran by candidates, but all the different memes and infographics and whatnot. At least in America. Most Americans are sort of middle of the road, but in recent years, the right has gotten very good at drawing people in through media. I know many people who are now all wrapped up in all sorts of right wing conspiracies and viewpoints that they were not wrapped up in before, that if it wasn't for seeing it on Facebook, Twitter or Reddit, they never would have believed this stuff or even thought about it.