I remember when commercial breaks were the time when you went to the bathroom/got snacks and then ran back and jumped over the couch to get back before the show started again.
But most ads don't work on a conscious level. They're there to make whatever is being advertised seem normal and good, like birds singing in the trees, background noise you associate with good feelings. The point isn't to get people to engage rationally. The point is to elicit positive emotions and associate them with a brand.