My best-selling book, Marketing Without Advertising, explains why advertising doesn’t work except on children's products and for tourists. The book explains how to do effective marketing.
A wonderful example is in today's Wall Street Journal, (8/3/2023).
Bud Light, the most popular American beer, insulted its clients with a frivolous marketing character who is a man dressed as a woman and being silly. Sales since the ad campaign have fallen 26% and market share has fallen from 10% to the 6% range.
Bud Light increased its national ads from 32 TV ads the same time last year, June and July, to 34,000 this year (yes, from 2 digits to 5 digits). While market share dropped 2% points from 8% to 6% during the same period.
Three cheers for the evidence that advertising, even at the million dollar level, is counter productive.