The only products that sell this in advertising actually provide those brand features. Essentially people pay money to increase their perceived status.

Like, if you sell a luxury handbag. When people buy it, they know 70% of the value comes from the advertising saying "this is a high value product" as a status signal. I think that's really dumb, but that's what people want.

It also existed a long time before ads itself did.

So you've never seen like, a beer ad that promises status and attractiveness?