Question: Today, the high sales of popular consumer goods reflect the power of advertising and not the real needs of the society in which they are sold. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Band 8+ Sample Answer:
(Intro) In our modern society, purchases of popular consumer products are at record levels. Some people say that it is due to the influence of advertising. While I agree that advertising has a role to play in boosting these sales, I would further argue that people do need the items that they buy.
(Body 1) On the one hand, saying that advertisements are the first step of promoting sales is justifiable to some extent. People who live in major metropolises, such as Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City are surrounded by shopping malls which are often covered in advertising slogans and imagery which triggers increased levels of consumerism. In other words, advertisements gradually pique consumers’ interest in these products. leading to an increased volume of sales. Therefore, it seems sensible to say that advertising is one of the factors which helps to improve sales.
(Body 2) However, I would argue that consumers also need these products. As the population is on the rise, there is obviously a greater demand for products in order to satisfy people’s needs, leading to a rise in sales of these consumer items such as food and clothing As well as this, this trend can be attributable to a higher standard of living. This is primarily because when people are wealthier, they tend to have a higher expectation for products. This would mean they are likely to replace their existing products with new ones if the latest versions offer improved features or performance. This rings true among electronic products such as mobile phones, with updated features such as finger or face recognition software
(Conclusion) In conclusion, it makes sense to say that consumption of consumer goods has experienced an increase thanks in part due to advertising campaigns, but it seems to me that these high levels of purchases also reflect the needs of people wanting to enjoy a better quality of life and the demands of a country’s increasing population. Given the economic benefits it is likely that governments will be happy to encourage further rises in the future. (336 words).
Essay: Student Essay by Lucas Nguyen, fully corrected and upgraded by Nick Kemp, former IELTS Examiner.
Image: PhotoMIX-Company / Pixabay.
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