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Advertising is extremely successful at persuading us to buy things..(Task 2 Essay Band 9 Sample)

Updated: Aug 29

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.


Write about the following topic:


Some people say that advertising is extremely successful at persuading us to buy things. Other people think that advertising is so common that we no longer pay attention to it.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.


Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experiences.


You should write at least 250 words.


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Task 2 Essay Band 9 Sample Answer - Some people say that advertising is extremely successful at persuading us to buy things. Other people think that advertising is so common that we no longer pay attention to it.

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IELTS Task 2 Band 9 Sample Essay

Advertising has been a significant force in shaping consumer behaviour for over a century. However, there are differing views on the effectiveness of advertising in the modern world. Some people argue that advertising has become so ubiquitous that it has lost its impact, while others claim that advertising remains a powerful force that can significantly influence consumers' purchasing decisions. In this essay, I will explore both views in detail and conclude that advertising still has a significant impact on consumers' purchasing behaviour.


On the one hand, critics of advertising argue that people have become increasingly adept at ignoring ads. In today's world, advertisements are present everywhere, from billboards on the highway to pop-ups on websites. With so many ads vying for our attention, it's no surprise that many people have developed strategies to avoid them. For example, many people use ad-blocking software on their computers or fast-forward through commercials on TV. This trend is particularly prevalent among younger people, who have grown up in a world where advertising is ubiquitous and have developed the habit of ignoring it.


On the other hand, proponents of advertising argue that it remains a powerful force that can significantly influence consumers' behaviour. Despite people's best efforts to avoid ads, they continue to be exposed to them on a daily basis, and marketers have become increasingly skilled at creating ads that are difficult to ignore. For example, Apple's "Think Different" campaign in the late 1990s helped to create a powerful brand identity that contributed to the company's success. Similarly, companies like Nike and Coca-Cola have used advertising to create emotional connections with consumers that have translated into increased sales. In addition, social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram have made it easier than ever to target specific audiences with ads. Advertisers can use data on users' interests, age, and location to create highly personalized ads that are more likely to be noticed and acted upon.


In conclusion, both views on the effectiveness of advertising have merit. While it's true that people have become adept at avoiding ads, advertising remains a powerful force that can significantly influence consumers' behaviour, thanks to innovative advertising techniques, versatile social media platforms and raw data available to target potential consumers.


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IELTS Task 2 Band 8.5 Sample Essay (1)

The phenomenon of advertising has become a ubiquitous part of modern society, and it continues to play a significant role in shaping people's purchasing decisions. While some argue that advertising has lost its effectiveness due to its pervasiveness, others maintain that it is still a powerful tool in influencing consumer behaviour. In this essay, I will explore both sides of this debate and argue that advertising remains as potent as ever.


Firstly, it is undeniable that advertising has become more prevalent in recent years. With the rise of social media and digital platforms, adverts are seemingly omnipresent in our daily lives, making it difficult for people to escape their reach. As a result, many individuals have become immune to their messages, rendering the advertisements less effective.


However, advertisers are well aware of this and are continuously innovating to capture people's attention. The subtle art of advertising has evolved into a science that aims to influence people's buying behaviour through clever and targeted messages. With the help of data harvesting techniques, advertising has become more personalized and targeted, making it easier to pitch products to specific demographics. Even if someone attempts to avoid advertising, they are likely to be influenced by the subtle messages implanted in their minds.


Furthermore, advertising remains an essential tool for companies to create brand awareness and differentiate their products from their competitors. Advertising provides businesses with a platform to communicate the unique features of their products, building trust with potential customers and creating brand loyalty. By effectively positioning their brand in the minds of consumers, companies can enjoy sustained success in their respective markets.


In conclusion, while it is true that people are now more aware of advertising than ever before, advertisers continue to innovate and create more targeted and sophisticated messages. Advertising is still a potent tool for companies to influence consumer behaviour and shape brand perceptions.


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IELTS Task 2 Band 8.5 Sample Essay (2)

A common belief is that advertisements are so powerful in inducing potential customers to purchase the products, whereas according to another viewpoint, these commercials are so widespread that people have become desensitized about them. However, though the excessive promotions can cause the potential consumers’ lack of interest in adverts, in my opinion, innovative commercial campaigns resorting to ubiquitous access to different media platforms can convince people to buy products.


As commercials can attract people’s attention to buy the product, companies are generously spending on eye-catching advertisements to grow their business quicker. They are putting a lot of effort and investment to come up with a quality campaign. Moreover, as about every family has access to diverse media platforms, adverts can readily reach a huge number of audiences, and persuade them to buy the products. For instance, some giant companies like Apple, Coca-Cola, and Samsung are highly successful in mobilising consumers’ curiosity on their latest launch, and they are doing it investing a huge volume of research work and money on different offline and online portals to promote their commercials. This is how businesses are engaging potential consumers with their promotions.


On the other hand, As almost all the manufacturers are rushing into captivating commercials, the advertising industry itself is becoming very competitive where only the standout promotions are able to attract new customers’ attention. In other words, anything that is too much available tends to lose attraction, and the promotional campaigns are not exception to this consequence. In fact, exhibiting too much expenditure options might result in opposite outcomes; for instance, the expected customers could inversely become reluctant to buy them.


In conclusion, though potential consumers might ignore the promotions as they are constantly being flooded with different adverts, a commercial can be standout and reach its target if it can efficiently maximise the quality of the campaign.



IELTS Task 2 Band 8 Sample Essay

Advertising has become a ubiquitous presence in our lives, appearing on billboards, TV screens, and even on our phones. Some argue that advertising is incredibly effective at convincing us to purchase products, while others believe that we have become so desensitized to advertising that we hardly notice it anymore. In this essay, I will examine both of these perspectives and present my own opinion on the matter.


On one hand, there is no denying that advertising can be incredibly persuasive. Marketers spend billions of dollars every year researching consumer behaviour and developing advertising campaigns that appeal to our deepest desires and needs. They use catchy slogans, beautiful models, and bright colours to capture our attention and create an emotional connection with their products. Many of us have purchased items that we did not need solely because we were influenced by an advertisement that we saw or heard.


On the other hand, it is also true that advertising has become so ubiquitous that we have become almost immune to its effects. We are bombarded with hundreds, if not thousands, of advertising messages every day, from the moment we wake up until we go to bed. Our brains have adapted to this constant onslaught by filtering out the noise and focusing only on what is truly important. This means that many advertisements that marketers spend millions of dollars on creating are never even noticed by their target audience.


In my opinion, the truth lies somewhere in between these two perspectives. While advertising can be persuasive, its effects are not as strong as some might think. We are not mindless robots who are easily swayed by the messages that we see on billboards or on TV. Instead, we are complex individuals who are capable of making rational decisions about what we buy and why. Advertising can certainly influence our choices, but it cannot control them.


In conclusion, advertising can be persuasive, but its effects are not as strong as some might think. At the end of the day, we are the ones who make the final decision about what we buy and why.


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