These Days Consumers Are Faced With An Increasing Amount Of Advertising From Various Companies

IELTS Writing Task 2 with sample answer.

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write at least 250 words.

These days consumers are faced with an increasing amount of advertising from various companies

To what extent do you think consumers are influenced by advertising?

What measures should be taken to protect them?


Sample Answer:

Nowadays consumers are bombarded with a plethora of advertising from a variety of companies. While some are of the opinion that advertising has little influence on consumers, I believe that it plays a significant role in their decisions and that there should be measures in place to protect them.

It is undeniable that advertising can influence consumer behaviour. This is particularly evident in the case of promotional offers or limited-time discounts, which often trigger a sense of urgency in the consumer, resulting in a purchase. Moreover, advertising can be used to create a positive image of a product or brand, and this can help to persuade the consumer to buy it. To take the example of a well-known brand of jeans, a targeted advertising campaign portraying attractive models wearing the jeans may make the product more attractive to the consumer, leading to an increased demand.

However, it is not only the consumer who is affected by advertising. Companies are also able to use it to manipulate market forces, such as the price of a product, and this can have a detrimental effect on consumers. For instance, if a company decides to use heavy advertising to promote a product, it can cause the price of the product to increase due to the increased demand, leaving the consumer with fewer options.

In order to protect consumers from the potentially harmful effects of advertising, governments should take measures to regulate the industry. Firstly, they should introduce clear guidelines on the types of advertising that are permissible, such as banning the use of false claims or deceptive marketing techniques. Additionally, they should introduce restrictions on the amount of advertising that can be done in a certain sector or market. This would help to ensure that companies are not able to take advantage of the consumer through heavy advertising campaigns.

Ultimately, while advertising can be used to persuade consumers to buy certain products or services, it is important that measures are taken to protect them from its potentially harmful effects. Governments should introduce clear guidelines on what type of advertising is permissible, as well as restrictions on the amount of advertising that can be done in a certain sector or market. This would help to ensure that consumers are not unduly influenced by aggressive marketing tactics.