Perhaps this is so obvious that someone else has already mentioned it, but it seems to me, upon further reflection, that there is an answer to Megan’s question about why Enron (or any B2B) was advertising to a market that was in a position neither to purchase, or influence the purchase of, its products.

Was it trying to boost market? Obviously not. Was it trying to boost profits? How would that be accomplished with expensive and opaque ads? Was it trying to hype stock price?

Bingo.