These findings are not surprising considering the general
widespread skepticism of advertising by consumers. Calfee
and Ringold (1994) presented empirical evidence that the
majority of consumers believed that advertising is often
untruthful; that it attempts to persuade people to buy things
they do not need; and that it should be more strictly
regulated. Based on public opinion polls, they concluded that
approximately 70 percent of consumers had this skeptical
view of advertising and that this view had been held for over
60 years that the data were available.