Advertising has what primary impact on a market for a specific product?

• A. It increases consumers' willingness to pay, potentially raising consumer surplus.
• B. It has no effect on consumer preferences or market outcomes.
• C. It eliminates consumer surplus by making all consumers pay their maximum willingness to pay.
• D. It decreases the equilibrium price by reducing demand.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the role of advertising in microeconomics: Advertising primarily aims to influence consumer preferences and perceptions about a product.
2. Recognize that when advertising is effective, it can increase consumers' willingness to pay for the product by making them value it more or become more aware of its benefits.
3. Recall that an increase in willingness to pay shifts the demand curve to the right, meaning at every price, consumers want to buy more or are willing to pay more.
4. Analyze the impact on consumer surplus: If consumers are willing to pay more but the price does not increase proportionally, consumer surplus can increase because consumers gain more value from the product than the price they pay.
5. Conclude that advertising does not eliminate consumer surplus or necessarily decrease equilibrium price; instead, it tends to increase demand and can raise both price and consumer surplus.