Advertising has no place in a "free market"because it unduly influences consumer choice.. distorting the supposed "rational choices" that they would otherwise make based on perfect information. If the food c ompanies truly belive that food ads do not influence consumer choice as they seem to be saying then there is no reason to keep spending all that money uselessly; better to put it towards society's costs of treating obesity, diabetes etc etc etc...Now that would be a real social contribution!