In an era where media consumption is at an all-time high, the lines between entertainment, news, and propaganda continue to blur. A concerning pattern has emerged as billionaire influence over major media platforms creates unprecedented opportunities for ideological messaging to reach unsuspecting viewers.

The financial dynamics behind this trend are striking. Amazon MGM recently invested approximately $35 million promoting “Melania,” while The Washington Post cut over 300 journalist positions. The connection? Both entities fall under the ownership of Jeff Bezos, raising questions about the concentration of media power in the hands of a few ultra-wealthy individuals.

Across streaming platforms, social media, and traditional broadcasts, propaganda techniques have evolved into three distinct strategies. The first leverages unskippable ad slots on streaming services and live broadcasts, ensuring captive audiences. The second employs shock and absurdity to generate viral sharing. The third presents a facade of neutrality while subtly advancing partisan agendas.

Disney+’s introduction of advertisements for “basic” plan subscribers in 2022 exemplifies how even paying customers are now subject to whatever messaging advertisers choose to deliver. Among these ads, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem’s controversial campaign for the CBP Home app—effectively encouraging self-deportation among immigrants—highlights how government-funded messaging increasingly appears in spaces where viewers cannot opt out.

For short-form content where viewers can simply scroll past unwanted messages, advertisers have adopted different tactics. The recent Super Bowl Sunday advertisement featuring Mike Tyson represents this approach. Sponsored by MAHA Center Inc., a non-profit aligned with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s health policies and the “Make America Healthy Again” movement, the ad featured Tyson referring to Americans as “the most obese, fudgy people” while loudly consuming produce.

The ad’s effectiveness lies not in its persuasiveness but in its absurdity. No reasonable marketing team would expect Mike Tyson to deliver a serious public health message. Instead, the shocking nature of the content guarantees shares, parodies, and discussion—extending its reach far beyond the initial broadcast.

Perhaps most concerning are advertisements that pose as politically neutral while advancing specific ideologies. A PSA titled “The Girl in the Middle” exemplifies this approach. The ad depicts a pregnant woman caught between opposing abortion rights factions, presenting adoption as a reasonable middle ground. However, investigation reveals the sponsor, “Adoption is an Option,” was founded by Republican donor John Knox Jr., whose financial contributions support numerous conservative politicians including Greg Abbott, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and Marco Rubio.

The growing presence of artificial intelligence in advertising represents another subtle form of political messaging. Approximately one-quarter of this year’s Super Bowl ads featured AI in some capacity, from vodka advertisements to promotions for companies like OpenAI. This trend aligns with the current administration’s pro-AI stance, unsurprising given that tech CEOs constitute some of Trump’s largest donors, including OpenAI’s Greg Brockman who contributed $12.5 million last September.

The White House has actively promoted AI technology, releasing a report in January suggesting economic benefits comparable to the Industrial Revolution. The embrace of AI by both advertisers and government officials creates a feedback loop of technological promotion with significant political and social implications.

What makes these advertising strategies particularly effective is the information overload facing modern consumers. When bombarded with content across multiple platforms, viewers lack the capacity to thoroughly investigate every commercial they encounter. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok create perfect conditions for propaganda to flourish, as users multitask while consuming vast amounts of content.

Without heightened media literacy, subtle messaging can easily penetrate viewers’ consciousness without critical evaluation. As one media observer noted, “We aren’t going to do a deep dive into the financial endeavors of every CEO whose advertisements grace our screens.” This reality, coupled with the inability to skip certain ads or escape their viral influence, makes it increasingly difficult for audiences to maintain critical distance from the messaging that shapes public discourse.