That’s because you’re not a typical consumer. Average consumer those ads target is a mindless capitalist zombie with the sole goal of owning more stuff. Especially in US (but not only) people are trained by their capitalist master that ‘you are what you own’ and spending money is a way of living there. I’m sure you see it everywhere. People go absolutely crazy over brands like Marvel or Star Wars and spend thousands of dollars on useless gadgets. People go crazy over snickers and buy hundredths of pairs. People go crazy over phones and and take credit just to own the latests model. And the ads are there to program those people into wanting more and more things.
I (same as the other user) thought that Bruce Willis manages to send a message saying that it’s not 12 Monkeys and that’s how they figure out it’s the guy on the plane.
Also, the scientists in the future wait for a message on the answering machine. The message on the machine changes based on what Bruce does in the past so it’s clearly not a perfect loop. Actions in the past influence the future so you’re back to paradoxes.
The entire point of the movie was that they didn’t knew who started the pandemic and were travelling back in time to try and figure it out. The scientists on the plane next to the guy who created the virus means that they did figure it out now, right? Or was is supposed to just be a huge coincidence?
Yes, I mentioned it in my post. The idea that you can only travel back in time to the moment the machine was turned on is great and helps you avoid many paradoxes. It’s a very close second to Timecrimes but the ending was very confusing with too many timelines created at the same time.