Advertising definitely has a role in making people obese. Do you think people would be eating at McDonald's if McDonald's didn't advertise that their food was delicious and that their food is super cheap and affordable? If McDonald's didn't have any advertisements anywhere it would have never become a huge franchise that now sells to millions of people and has the most unhealthy menu of almost any franchise food store in the world. It's thanks their sneaky advertisements on the road or sitting on a bus or even in the bathroom stalls that you suddenly have enormous cravings for McDonald's.