Which of the following is NOT a way to assess quality?

Advertising spend is not a direct measure of product quality. Instead, it typically reflects how much a company is willing to invest in promoting its products or services, which does not inherently provide any information about the actual quality of those products.

On the other hand, durability, customer reviews, and functionality are all critical elements in assessing quality. Durability refers to how well a product stands up over time and under usage, which directly indicates its quality. Customer reviews provide insights from real users about their experiences, allowing potential buyers to gauge the quality based on feedback. Functionality assesses how well a product performs its intended purpose, which is another integral aspect of quality. Each of these components gives tangible evidence regarding the product's performance and reliability, while advertising spend serves mostly marketing and promotional objectives without a guarantee of quality.