IELTS essay about the positive and negative aspects of advertising

IELTS essay topic

Nowadays there are more and more advertisements. Some people think that they have a negative influence on people, and therefore should be restricted.

Do you agree or disagree?

Sample essay

People have been debating the positive and negative aspects of advertising for a while. Some people believe that advertisements must be banned because they have negative impacts on our lives. Others including I disagree with them. My actual observation of life has convinced me of the positive aspects of advertising. In this essay, I shall explain my point of view by analyzing both sides of the argument.

First of all, advertisements educate people and expand their knowledge. From commercials we hear about new products which can solve many of the problems we face in our everyday life. My opinion was echoed by Naomi Miller, Chairwoman of the education department at Hunter University. In an article that she published, Professor Miller describes a study of 181 families. Some of them watched advertisements, while others did not. The study showed that there was a 95% increase in productivity in the first group because they were aware of the new products in the market and used appliances like dishwashers to improve their productivity and efficiency.

Admittedly, despite all the reasonable evidence in favour of advertisements, some people argue that they influence people negatively and therefore should be restricted. Firstly, they claim that some advertisements market fake products. They are also concerned about the consequences of using fake products. Of course, these concerns sound convincing and stand to reason. However, if consumers exercise caution, they can avoid falling prey to false claims made by advertisers. After all, nobody is supposed to believe all that they see or hear in commercials.

In conclusion, while there are strong arguments on both sides of the case, my personal opinion is that without advertisements we would not be aware of the new products and innovations in the market. That’s why I would strongly recommend advertising and disagree with their restriction.