This book investigates the persistent myths surrounding advertising by examining how it functions as a complex system of belief rather than a simple tool of manipulation. Anne M. Cronin, a scholar in sociology and cultural studies, draws upon extensive research into consumption controversies to challenge the common perception that advertising corrupts a pure relationship between individuals and commodities. She proposes a framework of 'circuits of belief' to explain how meaning is negotiated and circulated among practitioners, clients, regulators, consumers, and academics.

Scholars in media and cultural studies identify this work as a significant contribution to the sociology of consumption. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous alternative to more simplistic critiques of commercial media.