Ads Imitate Life?

Thanks to Brian Sterz for sending on this NY Times article on the Debt Trap and examples of the Ads that cheered Americans on to record debt levels. I always enjoy the debate on whether Art Imitates Life, or vice versa, and I think the same thing could be said for Advertisements. Did these ads really influence us, or had we already bought in, and they just reinforced our behavior. Regardless, the Ads are fun to go through and reminisce about the good old days, when you could