Devoted to branding and building and protecting brands

I've never understood why marketing costs aren't considered part of the cost of production.  What you do to give people reasons to buy your product is, in the minds of superior companies, the very definition of marketing.  For inferior outfits, of course, it's all hype and hogwash.  Hey, why spend on promoting your offerings during the very times when they need promoting, after all?

 So, does it not stand to reason that what's designed into the product and how it's packaged and distributed and sold all part of the the product?  Same as its molded parts and circuitry?  One thing this would do is certain: no more slashing and burning the budget during business slowdowns.  Who would cut back on product ingredients during a recession?  Studies over the past 60 years reveal that share-of-market increases during soft economies -- when advertising is sustained.