You are claiming (or pretending) that spend (ie, marketing spend) isn't one of, if not _the_, biggest factors in which of a set of options ends up being the winner?
In this case you don't get to try the options first. You made a decision based on what you've seen and heard.
And you think the advertising budget isn't the key thing?
not spending ensures no voters know who you are, but the most spending doesn't result in the most votes
funny prisoner's dilemma for partisans, well, more amusing if you sell ad space