The EU has a billboard campaign going recently with pro-EU messages and utopian imagery which is also be cognitive behavioural manipulation of people (manipulating their thoughts and behaviour (voting) to be more pro-EU).
If advertising did not change behavior, it wouldn’t be a thing.
Outdoor billboards: text and images you see when you go outside and look around
I don't see what is dilutive about this comparison, seems about equal to me (except outdoor advertising is worse because you can't avoid it by not visiting certain websites). My broader point, I guess, is that the intended interpretation of the word "manipulation" seems to be restricted to "manipulation we disagree with".
https://you-are-eu.europa.eu/index_en
The images and slogans in the 4 pictures are what I have also seen on billboards.
Meh, it's just propaganda and not all propaganda is minted by totalitarian regimes. The US/west also minted their own during the cold war.
And before and after, its not like the Cold War was in any way unique in seeing the US make propaganda.