I’m one of those who claim to not (or seldom) be affected by ads, and I’d say my payment history can back that up. I usually buy based on other people’s experiences, eg by scanning 1-star reviews for red flags, or asking people I know about their experiences. When it comes to groceries I just buy products with certain traits (vegan, low on sugar, organic, low waste,...) which usually limits choices to products which are not advertised. Same thing with organic/sustainable fashion.