
arXiv: 2410.24191
We develop a simple framework to analyze how targeted persuasive advertising shapes market power and welfare. A designer flexibly manipulates the demand curve by influencing individual valuations at a cost. A monopolist prices against this manipulated demand curve. We fully characterize the form of optimal advertising plans under ex-ante and ex-post welfare measures. Flexibility per se is powerful, and can substantially harm or benefit consumers vis-a-vis uniform advertising. We discuss implications for regulation, intermediation, and the joint design of manipulation and information.
FOS: Economics and business, FOS: Computer and information sciences, Computer Science - Computer Science and Game Theory, Economics - Theoretical Economics, Theoretical Economics (econ.TH), Computer Science and Game Theory (cs.GT)
FOS: Economics and business, FOS: Computer and information sciences, Computer Science - Computer Science and Game Theory, Economics - Theoretical Economics, Theoretical Economics (econ.TH), Computer Science and Game Theory (cs.GT)
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