In which type of market are individual firms most likely to engage in regular advertising to differentiate their products?

• A. Monopolistic competition
• B. Monopoly
• C. Perfect competition
• D. Oligopoly with homogeneous products

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the characteristics of each market structure: Monopoly, Perfect Competition, Monopolistic Competition, and Oligopoly with homogeneous products.
2. Recall that in Perfect Competition, products are identical and firms are price takers, so there is little incentive to advertise since products are not differentiated.
3. In a Monopoly, the firm is the sole seller with a unique product, so advertising may be less about differentiation and more about increasing demand or informing consumers.
4. In Oligopoly with homogeneous products, firms sell very similar products, so advertising is less about differentiation and more about other strategic purposes.
5. In Monopolistic Competition, many firms sell similar but not identical products, so firms engage in regular advertising to highlight differences and attract customers, making this the market type where product differentiation through advertising is most common.