← Back to Test

Problem 15 - Entrance Test

Company X has seen a 15% increase in its sales after launching an aggressive social media marketing campaign. Clearly, investing heavily in social media marketing is the most effective way for any business to boost its sales. Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument?

Correct: A

The argument asserts a causal link: social media marketing (SMM) caused Company X's sales increase, and then generalizes this to 'any business.' Option A introduces an alternative cause for Company X's sales increase (new product line) that existed *before* and *independent of* the SMM campaign. This directly undermines the claim that the SMM campaign was responsible for the increase, thereby weakening the conclusion. Option B talks about customer preference, C about cost-effectiveness (not direct sales boost), and D provides supporting evidence for SMM, none of which weaken the argument as effectively as an alternative cause.