From "Advertising." Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online School Edition. Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2013. Web. 9 Jan. 2013.
There is no dispute over the power of advertising to inform consumers of what products are available. In a free-market economy effective advertising is essential to a company's survival, FOR UNLESS CONSUMERS KNOW ABOUT A COMPANYS PRODUCT THEY ARE UNLIKELY TO BUY IT. In criticism of advertising it has been argued that the consumer must pay for the cost of advertising in the form of higher prices for goods; against this point it is argued that advertising enables goods to be mass marketed, thereby bringing prices down. It has been argued that the cost of major advertising campaigns is such that few firms can afford them, thus helping these firms to dominate the market; on the other hand, whereas smaller firms may not be able to compete with larger ones at a national level, advertising at the local level or online enables them to hold their own.
What claim is supported by the text in bold?
Advertising has the power to tell consumers what products are available.
Advertising is essential to a company's survival.
Consumers are unlikely to buy a product they don't know about.
Only large firms can afford major advertising campaigns.
