Bertrand Russell, "On Sales Resistance" 17 years ago
Try the BBC documentary 'The Century Of the Self' by Adam Curtis. You'll have to torrent it because no US TV station has dared show it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Century_of_the_Self
It documents (with gripping style) the activities of Edward Bernays and others in their efforts to manipulate people's subconscious - to make them buy stuff.