More to Consumers?

Watching The Persuaders gave me a helpless feeling that our world is becoming one big advertisement. As this was most likely one of their points, it begs the question..is this a bad thing? Do Americans consume more than the rest of the world? I think we do. And if so, does any of this have to do with the large marketing schemes that generate millions and millions of dollars in this country?
There is so much emphasis placed on looks in this country: what clothes to buy to feel important, or cool, or smart; what food to eat to "get healthy" whether it be low carb, low fat, organic, atkins, or south beach; to even such trivial things are what to have to drink. It all comes down to one question- is it one big ploy to get us to buy these things? In the end, it is all material stuff. Are we not emptying our pockets and increasing our credit card limits (which is an entirely different topic) to continuously fill up our pockets and shopping bags with more stuff? For what? Could it be that it's a neverending cycle that advertisers are behind in order to keep us wanting more?
It seems ironic: advertisers are constantly trying to lure us in to their products by marketing values and emotions that we need to feel; but in the end, they can never give us what we truly need, or else we wouldn't go back. So it seems like the only thing at the end of the "marketing world" road is just that--lots and lots of stuff.
We, as a society, have to take responsibility for being lured in to this ploy. Can we not start looking for true meaning in life beyond the Gap? I can't say I know much about Europe, but it sure looks as if they've got a better grasp on the meaning of life than we do.