THEME-BASED ESSAY WRITING

TOPIC: ADVERTISING
Students’ notes
1/ Forms of advertisements
Advertisements are all around us.
- TV and radio shows constantly get interrupted by commercials while newspapers are filled with
display ads.
- Internet users are bothered by pops-up and banner ads, and even emails may contain junks and
spams.
- As advertising agencies become more innovative, they create new ways to insinuate info into the
minds of consumers:
o Billboards
o Sponsorship
o Product placement
o Endorsement
o Word of mouth marketing

2/ What makes an advert attractive?

- Senses are stimulated
- Emotional responses
- Using influencers

- Various senses are stimulated when we interact with an ad:

o Companies employ vivid images, witty languages, as well as catchy and memorable tunes.
o Many ads come with product samples that allow consumers to involve their sense of touch,
smell and even taste.
- Emotional advertising is becoming trendy:
o Marketers aim to evoke viewers’ emotion, which makes them vulnerable to the inception
and formation of ideas and viewpoints.
o Companies and producers mask themselves as socially responsible organizations, which help
gain trust and build brand awareness.
- Endorsements are another effective tool for marketing:
o Celebrities and key opinion leaders can greatly influence fans and followers.
o Their appearance in adverts is increasingly common. 1

3/ Impacts and problems of advertisements

IMPORTANCE:
- For companies:
o Generate publicity
o Promote and popularize both existing and newly-launched products => give consumers the
maximum choice of products
o Create demands for goods and services -> bring about revenue
- For customers:
o A means to stay informed
o Connect producers and buyers
o Compare products and services to make sensible buying decisions
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- For society:
o May contain artistic value that adds to the beauty of life
o Create competition between rival companies => drive for economic growth
 Ads and advertising have become an indispensable part of the economy and consumer society.

PROBLEMS:
- Ethical issues:
o Exaggeration or distortion of the truth => misinterpretation of products
- Most companies only propagate the bright and positive aspects
- They provide an incomplete picture of their product
o Adverts aimed at impressionable targets
- Children put pressure on parents to purchase products
- Impulsive buyers feel an inclination to make purchase
- Economic issues:
o Create excessive demands due to constant exposure to product info
o A direct cause of consumerism => wasteful use of personal and household budget
- Other social issues:
o Contribute to pollution problem: paper for leaflets, posters
o Disrupt architectural harmony in urban areas
o Nuisance for media users => constant interruption that spoils the viewing experience
o Deception of info may even lead to health risks or criminal activities

TOPICS TO CONSIDER:
14-10-2021: Companies use different ways to increase sales. What different ways do companies use
to increase sales. What is the most effective?

02-07-2020: Young people today spend too much money and time following fashion trends (clothing,
tech) .To what extent do you agree or disagree?

22-08-2020: Many companies sponsor sports as a way for advertising themselves. Some people think
it is good for the world of sports, while others think there are disadvantages to this. Discuss both
sides and give your opinion.

14-03-2020: Advertisements are becoming more and more common in everyday life. Is it a positive or
negative development?
22-08-2020: Many companies sponsor sports as a way for advertising themselves. Some people think it is
good for the world of sports, while others think there are disadvantages to this. Discuss both sides and give
your opinion.
23-03-2019: People are living in a ‘throwaway society’, using things for a short time and then throwing
them away. What are the causes of this? What problems does it lead to?
18-05-2019: Advertising is all around us; it is an unavoidable part of everyone's life. Some people say that
advertising is a positive part of our lives. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
2
07-12-2019: There are more advertisements aiming at children. Some people believe that they have
negative effects on children and should be banned. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this
statement?
05-05-2018: These days, people in some countries are living in a "throw-away" society which mean people
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use things in a short time then throw them away. What are the reasons for this and what problems can it
cause?
30-03-2017: The society would benefit from a ban on all forms of advertising because it serves no useful
purpose, and can even be damaging. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
08-04-2017: Consumers are faced with increasing numbers of advertisements from competing companies.
To what extent do you think consumers are influenced by advertisements? What measures can be taken to
protect them?
 THEME-BASED ESSAY WRITING

FOR THE NEXT LESSON

GENDER

TOPIC RELATED VOCABULARY

a/ Rephrasing of some common topic words
- Men: mothers, males, female + Ns, househusband (limited use)
- Women: fathers, females, male + Ns, housewife
- Housework: household chores, domestic chores, domestic responsibilities

b/ Useful nouns
- Child-bearing: giving birth to someone
- Child-rearing: taking care of a child
- Reproduction: general term for child-bearing
- Endurance: the ability to withstand pressure
- Tenderness: the quality of warmth and patience
- Diversity: having a range of something
- Breadwinner: the main provider of finance in the family
- Homemaker: the main provider of care in the family
- Industry: diligence, hard-working quality
- Competence: ability, expertise
- Stereotype: a fixed idea or image that many people have of a particular type of person or thing, but
which is often not true in reality.

c/ Useful verbs:
- Be inclined to V: have a tendency to do something, feeling the urge to do something
- Instill: create, generate, cause the idea of something to appear in one’s mind
- Sacrifice: give up something
- Take on the role of: become
- Shoulder the burden: share the responsibility
- Depict: to represent or show something in a picture or story

d/ Useful adjectives: 3
- Assertive: quick to make decision
- Aggressive: hot-tempered, easily get offended
- Nurturing: caring, loving
- Tactful: careful and diplomatic
- Considerate: very caring and think about others’ feeling
- Physically-demanding: require a lot of strength
- Labor-intensive: require a lot of manual workers