Global ad spending outstrips U.S. growth http://edition.cnn.com/2011/BUSINESS/04/28/advertising.global.growth.ft/index.html
If you shop wisely, you can save a TON of money on almost everything. If you just buy the name brand advertised on TV, you'll usually overpay like a suckerfish.
A saleswoman came to my house and I purchased 5 kg washing powder and I received 12% discount for each kg I purchased. I think this company does not advertise its products on TV and other medias. So the 12% money saved on advertisement benefits buyers thus reducing inflation by 12%. I agree that TV commercials/advertisements cause Inflation. Also I received some free products for each kg washing powder I purchased. So I think the total discount I received is 15%. I will purchase 12 kg when this saleswoman comes again.
advertising helps to create and enlarge a market for a product. to give an extreme e.g. if only one car rolled off an assembly line the cost to produce and support may be 10M. by the 100,000 car the cost may be down to$15000. without advertising the market is very small or nonexistent as consumers are unaware of the existence of the product or have extemely limited knowledge about the product.
Advertisement for food products is waste of money because companies should distribute free samples instead of advertising. When consumers taste the product there will be buy it in future. Also few people watch expensive advertisements so they are waste of money.