I have a friend who is so irritated by advertisements breaking into his TV sports viewing that he has vowed to boycott those advertisers' products. Has anyone studied negative responses to advertising like this, or the possible negative effect of sports-shirt sponsorship?

Certain soccer clubs - Real Madrid and Manchester United, for example - are intensely disliked by more people than actually support them. Has sponsoring such a team ever damaged sales or the popularity of the firm whose name appears on its shirts?

Alan King, Liverpool, UK

I found the ad's that promote pain relief (notably for headaches) tend to be very bold (black and white), have flashing lights, repetative noises or other things that stimulate a sore noggin.  Is this on purpose?