Writing topic: advertising

This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer on the topic of advertising and needs from the real IELTS exam.

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Before reading, take some time to listen to the audio and take notes:

Dave

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay: Advertisements & Needs (Real Past IELTS Exam/Test)

Some believe that people will purchase a product based on their needs and advertising is not needed.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Many have argued that advertisement serves no real purpose as necessity motivates all purchases. I disagree with this completely because ads give consumers a minimum guarantee of quality and also develop wants into needs.

First of all, advertising is the most direct way to inform customers of a given products quality. The content of the ad is less important than the fact they were able to produce, distribute and, oftentimes, get a celebrity endorsement. For example, KFC typically signs the most famous football players to massive sponsorship deals, thereby evidencing the continued relevance and quality of their food. When a lesser known company premiers an advertisement this is evidence that they are generating enough revenue to validate whatever product they sell or service they provide.

Secondly, advertising does not simply meet needs; it creates them. Most people could live more fulfilling lives with fewer products but advertising stimulates desires by appealing to consumer psychology and those initial wants eventually become habitual. A good example of this would be the rise of Apple products in the last two decades and the role of advertising in making them popular. Apple phones and computers are famed not only for their quality but also the sense of being part of a community of users. Stylish ads like the think different campaign helped foster their dominance. Now the desire to become part of the Apple community and appear cool has become a basic need for many users hooked into the Apple ecosystem of high-quality consumer electronics.

In conclusion, advertising serves an important role in society. This does not mean that it should not be regulated, simply that consumers and officials should be mindful of the full contribution of advertisers.

Analysis

1. Many have argued that advertisement serves no real purpose as necessity motivates all purchases. 2. I disagree with this completely because ads give consumers a minimum guarantee of quality and also develop wants into needs.

1. Paraphrase the overall topic of the esasy.
2. State your opinion clearly.

1. First of all, advertising is the most direct way to inform customers of a given products quality. 2. The content of the ad is less important than the fact they were able to produce, distribute and, oftentimes, get a celebrity endorsement. 3. For example, KFC typically signs the most famous football players to massive sponsorship deals, thereby evidencing the continued relevance and quality of their food. 4. When a lesser known company premiers an advertisement this is evidence that they are generating enough revenue to validate whatever product they sell or service they provide.

1. Write a topic sentence with a single main idea at the end.
2. Explain or develop your main idea.
3. Begin a specific example.
4. Develop your example.

1. Secondly, advertising does not simply meet needs; it creates them. 2. Most people could live more fulfilling lives with fewer products but advertising stimulates desires by appealing to consumer psychology and those initial wants eventually become habitual. 3. A good example of this would be the rise of Apple products in the last two decades and the role of advertising in making them popular. 4. Apple phones and computers are famed not only for their quality but also the sense of being part of a community of users. 5. Stylish ads like the think different campaign helped foster their dominance. 6. Now the desire to become part of the Apple community and appear cool has become a basic need for many users hooked into the Apple ecosystem of high-quality consumer electronics.

1. Write another topic sentence with a new, distinct main idea.
2. Develop or explain the main idea.
3. Give a specific example.
4. Develop the example.
5. Keep developing the same example.
6. Draw out conclusions from your example.

1. In conclusion, advertising serves an important role in society. 2. This does not mean that it should not be regulated, simply that consumers and officials should be mindful of the full contribution of advertisers.

1. Repeat your opinion.
2. Add in a final thought/detail.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean?

Many have argued that advertisement serves no real purpose as necessity motivates all purchases. I disagree with this completely because ads give consumers a minimum guarantee of quality and also develop wants into needs.

First of all, advertising is the most direct way to inform customers of a given products quality. The content of the ad is less important than the fact they were able to produce, distribute and, oftentimes, get a celebrity endorsement. For example, KFC typically signs the most famous football players to massive sponsorship deals, thereby evidencing the continued relevance and quality of their food. When a lesser known company premiers an advertisement this is evidence that they are generating enough revenue to validate whatever product they sell or service they provide.

Secondly, advertising does not simply meet needs; it creates them. Most people could live more fulfilling lives with fewer products but advertising stimulates desires by appealing to consumer psychology and those initial wants eventually become habitual. A good example of this would be the rise of Apple products in the last two decades and the role of advertising in making them popular. Apple phones and computers are famed not only for their quality but also the sense of being part of a community of users. Stylish ads like the think different campaign helped foster their dominance. Now the desire to become part of the Apple community and appear cool has become a basic need for many users hooked into the Apple ecosystem of high-quality consumer electronics.

In conclusion, advertising serves an important role in society. This does not mean that it should not be regulated, simply that consumers and officials should be mindful of the full contribution of advertisers.

Answers

serves no real purpose pointless

necessity needed

purchases what is bought

consumers customers

minimum guarantee at least

wants desires

most direct way straightforward

inform customers tell consumers

given products quality how good something is

content of the ad what they say in the advertisement

distribute send out

oftentimes usually

celebrity endorsement famous people representing a brand

signs signals

massive sponsorship deals lots of money to endorse

thereby therefore

continued relevance still important

lesser known company not as famous

premiers an advertisement ad starts to run

generating enough revenue making enough money

validate justify

service they provide their product

fulfilling satisfying

stimulates desires make people want it

appealing enticing

consumer psychology how customers think/behave

initial beginning

eventually over time

habitual get used to

role place

famed famous for

sense feeling of

being part of together

community of users like-minded people

stylish looks nice

think different campaign ads by Apple in 2000s

foster their dominance encourage their popularity

appear cool seem to be cool

hooked into addicted to

Apple ecosystem Apple products only

regulated controlled

be mindful of be aware of

full contribution total input

Pronunciation

Listen and repeat:

sɜːvznəʊrɪəlˈpɜːpəs
nɪˈsɛsɪti
ˈpɜːʧəsɪz
kənˈsjuːməz
ˈmɪnɪməmˌgærənˈtiː
wɒnts
məʊstdɪˈrɛktweɪ
ɪnˈfɔːmˈkʌstəməz
ˈgɪvnˈprɒdʌktsˈkwɒlɪti
ˈkɒntɛntɒvðiæd
dɪsˈtrɪbju(ː)t
ˈɒfntaɪmz
sɪˈlɛbrɪtiɪnˈdɔːsmənt
saɪnz
ˈmæsɪvˈspɒnsəʃɪpdiːlz
ˈðeəˈbaɪ
kənˈtɪnju(ː)dˈrɛlɪvəns
ˈlɛsənəʊnˈkʌmpəni
ˈprɛmiəzənədˈvɜːtɪsmənt
ˈʤɛnəreɪtɪŋɪˈnʌfˈrɛvɪnjuː
ˈvælɪdeɪt
ˈsɜːvɪsðeɪprəˈvaɪd
fʊlˈfɪlɪŋ
ˈstɪmjʊleɪtsdɪˈzaɪəz
əˈpiːlɪŋ
kənˈsjuːməsaɪˈkɒləʤi
ɪˈnɪʃəl
ɪˈvɛnʧəli
həˈbɪtjʊəl
rəʊl
feɪmd
sɛns
ˈbiːɪŋpɑːtɒv
kəˈmjuːnɪtiɒvˈjuːzəz
ˈstaɪlɪʃ
θɪŋkˈdɪfrəntkæmˈpeɪn
ˈfɒstəðeəˈdɒmɪnəns
əˈpɪəkuːl
hʊktˈɪntuː
ˈæplˈiːkəʊˌsɪstəm
ˈrɛgjʊleɪtɪd
biːˈmaɪndfʊlɒv
fʊlˌkɒntrɪˈbjuːʃən

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

Many have argued that advertisement s_______________________e as n______________y motivates all p____________s. I disagree with this completely because ads give c___________s a m___________________e of quality and also develop w_______s into needs.

First of all, advertising is the m_______________y to i________________s of a g______________________y. The c___________________d is less important than the fact they were able to produce, d___________e and, o_____________s, get a c_______________________t. For example, KFC typically s______s the most famous football players to m_______________________________s, t_________y evidencing the c_______________________e and quality of their food. When a l______________________y p______________________t this is evidence that they are g_______________________________e to v_______________e whatever product they sell or s____________________e.

Secondly, advertising does not simply meet needs; it creates them. Most people could live more f___________g lives with fewer products but advertising s______________________s by a______________g to c________________________y and those i________l wants e____________y become h__________l. A good example of this would be the rise of Apple products in the last two decades and the r_____e of advertising in making them popular. Apple phones and computers are f__________d not only for their quality but also the s__________e of b___________f a c_____________________s. S_________h ads like the t___________________________n helped f_______________________e. Now the desire to become part of the Apple community and a___________l has become a basic need for many users h______________o the A________________________m of high-quality consumer electronics.

In conclusion, advertising serves an important role in society. This does not mean that it should not be r___________d, simply that consumers and officials should b______________f the f___________________n of advertisers.

Listen and check:

Listening Practice

Watch some iconic Apple ads below:

Reading Practice

Here is a really, really old and interesting article about advertising and psychology:

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1904/01/the-psychology-of-advertising/303465/

Speaking Practice

Practice by speaking for 2 minutes about the topic from the real IELTS speaking exam:

Talk about advertisment you watched and will not forget

Writing Practice

Write about the related topic below and then check with my sample answer:

Online shopping is become more common these days.

What effect could this have on the environment and the types of jobs required?

Real Past IELTS Exam