Topic 1: Does increasing travels between countries enable people to learn different cultures or to

Topic 50: Some people argue that advertising is discouraging people from being different 
individuals, and makes people to be or seem to be the same. Do you agree or disagree?
 
(Fickle and unpredictable) (Lasting loyalty), (react differently toward an advertisement)
(Serve a single segment) (match the psychology and interests)(the ability to consume rests significantly 
on the disposable income an individual possesses);
(have a real knowledge of the market), (differentiate its product or service), (reduce potential monopoly 
power),
(create false wants), (daydream about things), (partake in a fashion trend)
(on the spur of the moment), (out of peer pressure),
( create a best-seller image for a newly-marketed product) 

Perhaps no subject in the world is as likely to cause so much controversy as advertising 
does. One of the main criticisms against advertising is that it erases individual's sense of 
identity and causes them to buy the same product. This view has flaws.
By tempting messages and persuasive arguments, advertising can draw the attention of the 
audience, but not necessarily stimulate the sales. It is clear that consumers rarely rely on 
advertising as a single source of information before deciding what to buy. Instead, they use 
multiple information sources that are complementary, such as family, friends, inspections, and 
so forth. It is over simplistic to say that advertising plays a decisive role. Most of the time, there 
are a range of factors a consumer would take into account, including their income levels, 
circumstances, and so forth. For instance, when it comes to luxury goods, only a limited number 
of consumers respond with a final purchase. Therefore, however persuasive an advertisement is, 
never can it lead to the viewers making the same purchase.
Meanwhile, consumers have low tolerance for sameness. There is much uncertainty about 
the preference of consumers nowadays, primarily because they have easy access to information. 
An existing brand is vulnerable to any new entrant. Brand loyalty is something of the past, and 
the rise and fall of a brand is abrupt. Even if brand preference is established because of 
advertising, there is no assurance it will be maintained. It seems to be an entrenched tendency of 
consumers to try different products. The main reason behind the high unpredictability of 
consumer behaviour is unclear, but it is certain that consumers will not buy the same product.
However, people should meanwhile admit that advertising has every now and then 
contributed to consumers' unplanned purchase. Banners, signs, flags and other visuals, for 
example, turn unintended shoppers successfully into impulsive buyers in their mundane 
shopping trip. Another function of advertising is to make people live in a world of fantasy, in 
which they consider themselves prettier, slimmer, richer and more outstanding. Advertising also 
succeeds in creating peer effect. It is not unusual that one buys something on impulse without 
knowing much about the product but merely assuming that his or her peers are using it.
As suggested above, individual's reactions to advertisements and preferences on a brand are 
inherently complex and unpredictable, simple cause-and-effect conclusions are elusive. Despite 
boosting the sales of a product or service, advertising can hardly make any product or service 
dominate the market.
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1. Erase=wipe out=remove 
2. Flaw=defect=fault
3. Tempting=alluring=enticing
4. Persuasive=influential=convincing
5. Multiple=various=a compound of
6. Complementary=balancing=matching
7. Inspection=examination=assessment=observation
8. Tolerance=acceptance
9. Unplanned=impulsive
10. Unintended=unintentional
11. Mundane=dul1=everyday=routine=dreary=boring
12. On impulse=on the spur of the moment= on a whim=impulsively
13. Elusive=vague=indefinable=obscure
 
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