Advertising
Ideas for IELTS essay topics
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Positives of Advertising
Advertising is a key part of modern business.
Companies need to tell customers about their products.
Advertisements inform us about the choices we have.
Advertising is a creative industry that employs many people.
Without advertising, we would have less choice.
Without advertising there would be higher unemployment.
Advertising is a form of modern art.
People enjoy adverts.
Negatives of Advertising
Advertising manipulates people.
It aims to persuade people that buying a product will make them happier.
Advertisers focus on selling a brand image.
They use glamorous, successful people.
We now live in a consumer culture.
We are persuaded to follow the latest trends.
We are encouraged to associate certain brands with a higher status.
Advertisers often aim their marketing at children.
Children can easily be influenced by advertisements.
Children put pressure on parents to buy them things.
Opinions about Advertising
Advertising should be regulated.
Advertising aimed at children should be controlled or even banned.
Unhealthy foods should not be marketed in a way that attracts children.
Products that can be a risk to health should display warnings.
In some countries, it is illegal to advertise cigarettes on television.
Warnings must be displayed on cigarette packets.
However, advertising is necessary in free market economies.
It creates demand for products.
Governments should only censor false information or products that are harmful.
Vocabulary and useful collocations
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• advertising agency: a company that creates adverts for other companies.
• advertising budget: the amount of money a company decides to spend on advertising.
• brand awareness: how well people know a particular brand.
• brand loyalty: the degree to which people continue to buy from the same brand
or company.
• buy and sell: often used to refer to the buying and selling of items between individuals
• call to action: something that encourages someone to take a particular action, such as
making a purchase or clicking a link on a website.
• celebrity endorsement: to have a well-known person promote a product.
• classified ads: small advertisements often put in a newspaper or magazine by
individuals.
• to cold call: to call someone with the aim of selling something without them asking you
to do so.
• commercial break: the short period during TV programmes when advertisements are
shown.
• commercial channel: TV channels that make money from showing advertisements.
• to go viral: to quickly become extremely popular on the Internet through social media.
• junk mail: unwanted promotional leaflets and letters
• to launch a product: to introduce a new product.
• mailing list: a list of names and contact details used by a company to send information
and advertisements.
• mass media: large media outlets like TV, newspapers, and magazines
• niche product: a product that is aimed at a distinct group of people.
• to place an advert: to put an advert somewhere.
• press release: something written by a company for newspapers, magazines, and
websites to share and publish.
• prime time: the time during the viewing schedule when most people watch TV or listen
to a broadcast.
• product placement: to advertise a product by using it as a prop in a TV show or film.
• sales page: a page specifically used to promote a product or service.
• to show adverts: to display adverts on TV.
• social media: websites that enable users to create and share content or to participate in
social networking.
• spam email: unwanted, promotional email.
• target audience: the people a company want to sell their product or service to
• word of mouth: recommendations made by individuals to other individuals about a
product or service.
