That is what, in the business, is sometimes referred to as peer to peer advertising. Basically the concept is that one of the best ways to advertise something is to convince someone they look up to, or consider attractive, to buy an aspect of the product, thus convincing others to get into it and buy it. It is the basis for influencer advertising, which works through the pseudo-peer, but much more subtle.

Marketing people are operating at a bunch of levels, much of which is convincing the people that pay them that even their indirect advertising is purposeful, which to a large degree it is.