Methods Used in Advertising are Unethical and Unacceptable – IELTS Writing Task 2

Agree Disagree essays, like ‘Methods Used in Advertising are Unethical and Unacceptable’, are the most common type of questions in IELTS Writing Task 2.

In contrast to classic Agree Disagree essays, ‘To what extent do you agree or disagree’ questions do not specifically ask you to declare your level of agreement or disagreement with the statement. You can either say for or against the notion or you can partly agree or disagree with it. Once you’ve made up your mind, come up with two or three arguments in favour of it.

The ‘Methods Used in Advertising are Unethical and Unacceptable’ is an Agree/Disagree Writing Task 2 question will help you acquaint yourself with the format of structuring an IELTS Agree Disagree essays. If you want to practise regularly, check out the Writing Task 2 practice tests.

Let’s have a look at the Agree Disagree essay – Methods Used in Advertising are Unethical and Unacceptable – with three expert-curated sample answers for different IELTS band scores.

Question

Outline

Band 7 Sample Answer for Writing Task 2 Question – Methods Used in Advertising are Unethical and Unacceptable

Nowadays, people believe that a few methods used in advertisements are unethical and unacceptable. I agree with this statement, and this essay will discuss it.

False marketing practices present the unethical practices popular in advertising. They not only hurt public trust but also highlighted the lack of truthfulness in advertising. Also, taking advantage of innocent groups of people, particularly children, is another disturbing aspect. Advertisements for chocolates and health drinks, decorated with vibrant colors and cartoon characters, display the tricking of young minds, contributing to concerns about childhood obesity. For example, the Cocoa Puffs cereal advertising campaign featuring the character Sonny the Cuckoo Bird has been criticized for selling sugary cereals to children.

Then, companies often claim environment-friendly practices in their advertising, which can mislead consumers about a brand’s dedication to protecting the environment. Sometimes, healthcare ads play on viewers’ emotions by showing extreme health improvements without giving a balanced view of possible side effects, possibly cheating individuals. For example, certain advertisements for food supplements often focus on before-and-after plans, showing individuals who claim to have experienced health improvements. These ads may emphasize the benefits of the supplements while ignoring information about side effects.

In the end, false claims and exploitation of certain groups are real concerns that show the true nature of advertisements today. So, we need to protect ourselves from these unethical practices. (225 words)

Vocabulary 

• Highlighted (Verb)

Meaning: to draw special attention to

E.g.: The teacher highlighted the importance of honesty and hard work.

• Truthfulness (Noun)

Meaning: the quality of being honest and not containing or telling any lies

E.g.: The boy got a badge of truthfulness in the summer camp celebration.

• Aspect (Noun)

Meaning: one part of a situation, problem, subject, etc.

E.g.: The police looked into every aspect of the murder investigation but did not find anything.

• Vibrant (Adjective)

Meaning: full of energy and life

E.g.: The selfish giant had vibrant colored flowers and sweet fruits in his garden.

• Tricking (Verb)

Meaning: to make someone believe something that is not true

E.g.: He knew that tricking someone is bad, yet he did that to win the debate.

• Balanced (Adjective)

Meaning: considering all sides or opinions equally

E.g.: The essay provided a balanced opinion and let the reader decide the right path.

• Emphasize (Verb)

Meaning: give special importance or value to (something) in speaking or writing

E.g.: The leader needs to emphasize the importance of teamwork in the next meeting.

• Concerns (Noun)

Meaning: a matter of interest or importance to one; that which relates to or affects one; affair; matter; business

E.g.: Mita raised all her concerns in front of the jury and asked for a solution.

Band 8 Sample Answer for Writing Task 2 Question – Methods Used in Advertising are Unethical and Unacceptable

Advertising is a powerful tool that builds societal opinions and influences consumer behavior. While many advertisements stick to ethical standards, most people believe that these ads use methods that can be considered unethical and unacceptable in today’s society. I support the popular view and will discuss it in the following paragraphs with popular examples.

To begin with, many advertisements use misleading information to influence consumers. These false claims about a product’s effectiveness or exaggerated benefits can misguide consumers, ultimately destroying trust. For example, Red Bull faced a class-action lawsuit in 2013 over its slogan, “Red Bull Gives You Wings.” The case claimed that the energy drink company had misled consumers by suggesting that the product had unique and superior qualities, leading to improved physical and mental performance.

In addition, the exploitation of defenceless groups, such as children, is another wrong aspect of advertising. Some companies target children with advertisements for unhealthy food or products, taking advantage of their limited understanding and openness to convincing techniques. For instance, cereal brands have been blamed for selling high-sugar products, often using colourful and attractive packaging showing cartoon characters to attract children. It contributes to concerns about childhood obesity and the overall health impact of sugary foods. As a result, many consumer rights groups have called for stricter regulations.

In conclusion, while advertising is an important element of the business world, I believe there are instances where unethical methods are applied. Unreliable practices and exploitation of children are clear examples of unacceptable advertising in today’s society. (252 words)

Vocabulary 

• Societal (Adjective)

Meaning: relating to society or social relations

E.g.: Being a rebel, he always went against societal beliefs.

• Ethical (Adjective)

Meaning: relating to beliefs about what is morally right and wrong

E.g.: You should think about the ethical reasons and make the decision.

• Misleading (Adjective)

Meaning: giving the wrong idea or impression

E.g.: All the evidence the officer found was misleading and therefore led to a different result.

• Exaggerated (Adjective)

Meaning: to make something seem larger, more important, better, or worse than it really is

E.g.: As he exaggerated the events that actually happened, nobody trusted him.

• Lawsuit (Noun)

Meaning: a problem taken to a law court by an ordinary person or an organization rather than the police in order to obtain a legal decision

E.g.: The protestors filed a lawsuit against the company.

• Defenceless (Adjective)

Meaning: having no way to protect yourself from attack or harm

E.g.: The dog lay there defenceless on the road as there was no one to protect him.

• Openness (Noun)

Meaning: the quality of being honest and not hiding information or feelings

E.g.: Nat’s openness brought him closer to his friends and gave his enemies more reasons to hate him.

• Obesity (Noun)

Meaning: having too much body mass

E.g.: Obesity in children has become a concern for everyone.

• Unreliable (Adjective)

Meaning: not able to be trusted or believed

E.g.: Kay is an unreliable person and no one trusts him.

Band 9 Sample Answer for Writing Task 2 Question – Methods Used in Advertising are Unethical and Unacceptable

It is a common belief that methods used in advertisements to promote products or services are unfair and offensive. While some mislead consumers with false claims and exploit fear, others target vulnerable groups or body image and invade privacy. I am in favor of this notion and will expand on this idea in the following paragraphs with examples.

First and foremost, whenever we see billboards or watch a programme on screen, there are multiple ads that claim to boost immunity and provide health benefits. However, most are untrue, like Kellogg’s Rice Krispies, which claimed that the product could “naturally boost your child’s immunity.” Unfortunately, the claim was found to be groundless, leading to changes in the product’s marketing. Moreover, advertisements of security systems distort crime statistics to create fear, potentially pressuring individuals to purchase unnecessary products out of anxiety.

Most importantly, the most popular commercials are related to beauty products, like fairness creams or weight loss supplements. They promote unrealistic body standards, contributing to body image issues, as seen in cases where photos are extensively edited to create unreasonable ideals. Similarly, unhealthy food advertisements targeting children, such as McDonald’s Happy Meal, often use colourful characters and toys and contribute to unhealthy eating habits among children, leading to concerns about childhood obesity and related health issues. Furthermore, smart TVs and voice-activated assistants like Amazon’s Alexa have faced scrutiny for potential privacy invasion as they listen to home conversations for targeted advertising based on users’ discussions and preferences.

To sum up, the popularity of dishonest, exploitative, and privacy-invading advertising practices confirms my point of view that specific methods are unethical and unacceptable used in the commercials today. Therefore, stricter ethical standards are essential to secure consumer trust and encourage societal values in the ever-evolving field of advertising. (295 words)

Vocabulary 

• Offensive (Adjective)

Meaning:  very unpleasant

E.g.: The police arrested the strange man as he was making offensive gestures to the people.

• Vulnerable (Adjective)

Meaning: able to be easily hurt, influenced, or attacked

E.g.: The wolf did not attack the child as it was vulnerable and could not fight back.

• Invade (Verb)

Meaning: to enter forcibly

E.g.: The Germans invaded the French towns and killed many people.

• Groundless (Adjective)

Meaning: not based on any good reason

E.g.: The employee made some groundless claims about the manager and was fired.

• Distort (Verb)

Meaning:  to change or affect something, especially in a way that makes it worse

E.g.: Do not distort any evidence; present them as they are.

• Anxiety (Noun)

Meaning: a feeling of fear, dread, and uneasiness

E.g.: After the accident, he became a patient of depression and anxiety.

• Extensively (Adverb)

Meaning: in a way that covers a large area or has a great range

E.g.: The syllabus covered every topic extensively.

• Scrutiny (Noun)

Meaning: the careful and detailed examination of something

E.g.: After the new evidence was discovered, the murderer was put under further scrutiny.

• Exploitative (Adjective)

Meaning: taking unfair or unethical advantage of a person, group, or situation for the purpose of profit, comfort, or advancement

E.g.: The group took some exploitative steps to use Ray’s talent to win the match and then fire him.

IELTS Writing Task 2 Connectors for Gaining Bonus Points in the Sample Answers for Methods Used in Advertising are Unethical and Unacceptable

Check out the list of connectors used in the above-given sample answers that will help you add coherence to your writing and earn points for your IELTS Writing Task 2 – Methods Used in Advertising are Unethical and Unacceptable.

• Also
• For example
• Then
• Sometimes
• In the end
• To begin with
• In addition
• For instance
•  As a result
• In conclusion
• I believe
• First and foremost
• However
• Unfortunately
• Moreover
• Most importantly
• Similarly
• Furthermore
• To sum up

Now that you have gone through the sample answers on the topic – Methods Used in Advertising are Unethical and Unacceptable – it is time for you to try writing on your own. For that, leave your answers as a comment below or you can use our FREE evaluation service!

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