I've noticed that brands keep pushing ads into every corner of my daily life, from sponsored posts on social media to product placements in podcasts I actually enjoy. When I tried to figure out what a product really costs versus what advertising adds to the price, I saw estimates suggesting that ads can inflate consumer prices by up to 25% in some industries. That makes me question whether the constant exposure is worth the financial burden, especially for low-income households that spend a larger share of their income on advertised goods. So, is the current level of advertising doing us more harm than good, or am I overestimating its costs?