If I choose Pepsi over Coke because of some subconciously altered motive, eh. Whatever.
I'm not sure it'll be a popular opinion, but to be honest, I don't particularly mind not having to conciously evaluate my soda choice.
What I do mind is the amount of distraction introduced into my environment in an effort to influence that unconscious and irrelevant choice.
- Deodorant X was found to prevent odor for 5 hours and reduce it for 19 in tests with subjects similar to you.
- Fragrance A had the highest percentage of positive ratings among your desired gender and demographic.
And for things like Coke vs. Pepsi, where there is (I presume) very little objective differences that consumers care about, how does this idea apply?
In the case of deodorant, the question one really wants to ask is either "Will this fragrance upset my coworkers with allergies," or "What fragrance will most impress the guy/girl I want to impress?" Objective, empirical data from the nearest demographic comes the closest to answering that question.
There's no reason that objective data has to require time spent. Computer analysis and machine learning could present the right data at the right times, if the algorithms were designed for that instead of for behavioral manipulation. You wouldn't go to the store, see a rack of 150 different varieties of deodorant, and read the data for each one. You would specify your requirements and see a short list of options, with the principal component of the remaining differences emphasized in the displayed statistics.
More effort is put into seductive advertising than would be required to build and present empirical analyses of fundamental product attributes, despite the perception of complexity.
To address your final paragraph, products that offer no meaningful distinction from their competition would die, while those that are truly useful (even for highly subjective definitions of "useful", like "fashionable") would thrive.
What if you choose Pepsi or coke over water because of some subconciously altered motive? And it contributes toward obesity and diabetes?
It is not about choosing Pepsi over Coke. What make you choose (Coke OR Pepsi) over plain old cold water, when you feel thirsty?
Another issue is when you let Ads work, you are allowing the brand that had the most aggressive ad campaign to reap a profit. Not the one with a better product. Wont this prevent a better product from rising in the market?
Personally, I don't believe that. My theory is that a lot of concern about modern advertising is how it can destroy the user experience. E.g., 20+ additional HTTP calls on a mobile device. Or roadblock pages. Or punch-the-monkey ads that animate to try & grab your attention. Those types of things.
You don't need advertising to manipulate people.
I am manipulating you right now.
These corporations literally employ child psychologists to study the exact rate of white flashes and scene changes in a television spot that grabs their attention and will not release it. Our children are not on a level playing field with PHD educated adult psychologists. Marketers and salespeople will defend this practice. They don't see anything wrong with it.
P.S. I don't wear sunglasses or any article of clothing with a brand, drink coke or pepsi, and I eat the raisin bran I do because it comes in a bag instead of a bag inside a paper box. Mentally rejecting advertising has had the most positive impact on my physical and emotional health of anything I've ever done.