I have to respectfully disagree. I think showcasing brands can be a great way to show a culture over-saturated in advertising and reflects a modern life experience. As for overly-detailed description, at best the reader will Google it, research, look at pictures. At worst, they will skim it. I know that every time I come across a reference to a location, book, or painting I don’t know, I look it up. It may not come across as immediately apparent, but those references may be revealing something about the character or the world they live in. That said, most of the advice is typical Stunk/White stuff, of which I’m not a huge fan, and why I prefer more British or South American writing. That said, I would like to reiterate I’m respectfully disagreeing.