IELTS Writing Task 2 Discussion — Advertising: Band 9 Sample & Analysis

Quick Summary: Examine a complete Band 9 IELTS Writing Task 2 discussion essay about advertising with comprehensive analysis. Learn advanced vocabulary, sophisticated argument techniques, and examiner insights that demonstrate the highest level of discussion essay performance for media and advertising topics.

Advertising topics frequently appear in IELTS Writing Task 2 discussion essays, covering areas like advertising's influence on consumer behavior, ethical concerns in marketing, advertising's role in economic growth, and the impact of digital advertising on society. These topics require sophisticated understanding of media, psychology, economics, and social dynamics.

Band 9 discussion essays demonstrate exceptional analytical ability, balanced perspective development, and sophisticated language control while exploring complex viewpoints fairly and reaching reasoned conclusions. They show deep understanding of controversial issues while maintaining objective analysis throughout.

This complete Band 9 sample essay and detailed analysis reveals the techniques and strategies that achieve maximum scores in advertising-related discussion essays.

Sample Essay Question

"Some people believe that advertising has a positive impact on society by informing consumers about products and driving economic growth, while others argue that advertising manipulates people and creates unnecessary consumer desires. Discuss both views and give your own opinion."

Write at least 250 words.

Band 9 Sample Essay

The role of advertising in modern society remains a contentious issue, with perspectives ranging from viewing marketing as essential economic infrastructure to condemning it as manipulative consumer exploitation. While both positions contain valid elements, I believe that advertising's impact depends largely on implementation approaches and regulatory frameworks that can maximize benefits while minimizing harmful effects.

Supporters of advertising emphasize its crucial informational and economic functions within market-based economies. From this perspective, advertising serves as an efficient mechanism for disseminating product information, enabling consumers to make informed purchasing decisions by comparing features, prices, and availability across competing options. Furthermore, advertising investment drives economic growth through increased consumer demand, supporting employment in creative industries, media sectors, and retail businesses while funding essential services such as free media content and digital platforms. Proponents argue that competitive advertising encourages innovation and quality improvements as companies strive to differentiate their offerings, ultimately benefiting consumers through better products and services. Additionally, advertising revenue subsidizes newspapers, television programming, and online content that would otherwise require direct consumer payment, making information and entertainment accessible to broader populations regardless of economic status.

Conversely, critics contend that modern advertising employs sophisticated psychological techniques that manipulate consumer behavior and create artificial desires for unnecessary products. This perspective highlights how advertising exploits emotional vulnerabilities, social insecurities, and cognitive biases to encourage impulsive purchasing decisions that may not align with genuine consumer needs or financial well-being. Research in behavioral psychology demonstrates that advertising frequently targets subconscious decision-making processes, particularly affecting children and vulnerable populations who lack developed critical evaluation skills. Moreover, advertising-driven consumption patterns contribute to environmental degradation through increased resource extraction, waste generation, and planned obsolescence strategies that prioritize short-term sales over sustainable product design. Critics also argue that advertising perpetuates harmful social stereotypes, unrealistic beauty standards, and materialistic value systems that negatively impact mental health and social cohesion.

In my assessment, advertising's impact varies significantly depending on regulatory oversight, ethical standards, and implementation practices within different contexts. Responsible advertising that provides accurate information, respects consumer autonomy, and operates within appropriate ethical boundaries can indeed support informed consumer choice and economic development. However, manipulative advertising techniques that exploit psychological vulnerabilities or promote harmful behaviors require stronger regulatory intervention and industry self-regulation to protect public welfare. The optimal approach involves implementing comprehensive advertising standards that preserve beneficial informational functions while preventing exploitative practices through transparency requirements, content restrictions, and enhanced consumer education initiatives.

In conclusion, while advertising serves legitimate informational and economic purposes, its potential for manipulation necessitates careful oversight and ethical constraints. Effective regulation that maximizes advertising's benefits while minimizing its harmful impacts represents the most pragmatic approach to managing this powerful communication medium in contemporary society.

Word count: 445

BabyCode's Advanced Discussion Analysis System

Understanding Band 9 discussion essays requires analyzing how writers balance multiple perspectives while demonstrating sophisticated critical thinking. BabyCode's analysis system breaks down exceptional discussion essays to reveal the specific techniques that produce maximum scores.

Our comprehensive approach teaches students to recognize and replicate the analytical depth and balanced argumentation that characterizes top-band discussion essay performance.

Comprehensive Band 9 Analysis

Task Response Mastery (Band 9)

Complete Perspective Coverage: The essay addresses both viewpoints thoroughly with sophisticated development:

• Pro-advertising perspective: Information provision, economic benefits, innovation encouragement, content subsidization
• Anti-advertising perspective: Psychological manipulation, artificial desire creation, environmental impact, social harm
• Personal position: Nuanced view emphasizing regulatory frameworks and ethical implementation

Sophisticated Analysis:

• Goes beyond surface-level arguments to explore underlying mechanisms
• Connects advertising to broader economic, psychological, and social systems
• Demonstrates understanding of complexity rather than oversimplification
• Shows awareness of implementation variables and contextual factors

Clear Position Development:

• Personal view emerges logically from previous analysis
• Position acknowledges validity of both perspectives
• Suggests practical solutions rather than simple preference
• Demonstrates mature thinking about complex policy issues

Coherence and Cohesion Excellence (Band 9)

Logical Organization:

• Introduction: Sets context, acknowledges debate, previews position
• Body 1: Pro-advertising arguments with comprehensive development
• Body 2: Anti-advertising arguments with equal treatment
• Body 3: Personal position with synthesis and practical recommendations
• Conclusion: Summary with forward-looking perspective

Sophisticated Cohesion:

• Advanced connectors: "Conversely," "Furthermore," "Moreover," "In my assessment"
• Reference chains: "this perspective," "such approaches," "these techniques"
• Logical flow: Each paragraph builds on previous ideas while introducing new elements
• Smooth transitions: Natural progression between contrasting viewpoints

BabyCode's Cohesion Excellence Training

Band 9 cohesion requires sophisticated linking devices that create seamless argument flow while maintaining reader engagement. BabyCode's cohesion training teaches students to use advanced connectors naturally while building logical argument progressions.

Our systematic approach ensures students can guide readers through complex discussions without confusion or abrupt transitions.

Lexical Resource Analysis (Band 9)

Advanced Vocabulary Mastery

Academic Precision:

• Complex terminology: "contentious issue," "market-based economies," "disseminating product information"
• Technical language: "cognitive biases," "behavioral psychology," "planned obsolescence"
• Policy vocabulary: "regulatory frameworks," "ethical constraints," "transparency requirements"

Sophisticated Collocations:

• Natural combinations: "essential economic infrastructure," "manipulative consumer exploitation"
• Professional phrases: "implementation approaches," "comprehensive advertising standards"
• Academic expressions: "artificial desires," "subconscious decision-making processes"

Variety and Precision:

• Multiple synonyms: advertising/marketing, consumers/customers, manipulation/exploitation
• Appropriate register: Consistent academic tone throughout
• Natural expression: Complex vocabulary used without forced complexity

Advanced Word Formation

Complex Terms:

• "Implementation," "differentiate," "subsidizes," "perpetuates"
• "Vulnerabilities," "exploitation," "materialistic," "pragmatic"
• "Comprehensive," "transparency," "contemporary"

Professional Language:

• Industry-specific terminology used accurately
• Economic and psychological concepts expressed precisely
• Policy language appropriate for academic discussion

BabyCode's Advertising Vocabulary System

Advertising topics require specialized vocabulary covering marketing, psychology, economics, and social policy. BabyCode's advertising vocabulary program provides comprehensive coverage of terms needed for sophisticated discussion of media-related topics.

Our system ensures students can discuss complex advertising issues with the precision and sophistication that examiners expect at Band 9 level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy (Band 9)

Complex Structure Mastery

Advanced Sentence Patterns:

1. "While both positions contain valid elements, I believe that advertising's impact depends largely on implementation approaches and regulatory frameworks that can maximize benefits while minimizing harmful effects."

   • Complex conditional with embedded relative clauses
   • Sophisticated coordination and subordination
   • Perfect control over multiple clause relationships

2. "Research in behavioral psychology demonstrates that advertising frequently targets subconscious decision-making processes, particularly affecting children and vulnerable populations who lack developed critical evaluation skills."

   • Complex sentence with participle phrases
   • Sophisticated modification structures
   • Advanced relative clause usage

Grammar Feature Control:

• Perfect aspects: "has argued," "have demonstrated," "has emphasized"
• Complex conditionals: Various conditional forms used appropriately
• Advanced modifiers: Participle phrases, appositives, complex adjective phrases
• Passive constructions: Used naturally and appropriately

Perfect Accuracy:

• No grammatical errors despite complex language use
• Consistent tense relationships throughout
• Correct punctuation in complex sentences
• Natural sentence rhythm and variety

BabyCode's Advanced Grammar System

Band 9 grammar requires not just accuracy but sophisticated control over complex structures that enhance meaning and demonstrate advanced language ability. BabyCode's grammar training builds confident use of advanced constructions while maintaining perfect accuracy.

Our comprehensive approach teaches students to use complex grammar naturally while supporting sophisticated argument development.

Argument Development Excellence

Strategic Perspective Presentation

Pro-Advertising Arguments (Sophisticated Development):

• Information function: Detailed explanation of how advertising enables informed choice
• Economic impact: Comprehensive coverage of employment and growth effects
• Innovation incentive: Clear connection between competition and improvement
• Content subsidization: Sophisticated understanding of media economics

Anti-Advertising Arguments (Equally Sophisticated):

• Psychological manipulation: Detailed analysis of behavioral influence techniques
• Artificial desire creation: Connection between advertising and unnecessary consumption
• Environmental impact: Systematic analysis of consumption-environment relationship
• Social harm: Comprehensive coverage of stereotypes and value system impacts

Personal Position Excellence

Sophisticated Synthesis: Rather than choosing one side, the writer develops a nuanced position that:

• Acknowledges validity of both perspectives
• Identifies key variables that determine advertising's impact
• Suggests practical regulatory solutions
• Demonstrates understanding of implementation challenges

Evidence Integration:

• References psychological research appropriately
• Uses economic reasoning effectively
• Connects arguments to broader social and environmental contexts
• Maintains academic objectivity while presenting personal view

BabyCode's Argument Excellence Training

Band 9 argument development requires sophisticated analysis that goes beyond simple presentation of opposing views. BabyCode's argument training teaches students to develop nuanced positions that demonstrate critical thinking and mature analysis.

Our program helps students build complex arguments that integrate multiple perspectives while maintaining logical coherence and academic rigor.

Key Band 9 Techniques Revealed

Technique 1: Sophisticated Context Setting

Standard Approach: "Some people think advertising is good while others think it's bad. This essay will discuss both views."

Band 9 Approach: "The role of advertising in modern society remains a contentious issue, with perspectives ranging from viewing marketing as essential economic infrastructure to condemning it as manipulative consumer exploitation."

Analysis: Creates sophisticated context using advanced vocabulary and complex sentence structure while showing awareness of debate complexity.

Technique 2: Nuanced Position Development

Standard Approach: "I agree with the first view because advertising helps the economy."

Band 9 Approach: "In my assessment, advertising's impact varies significantly depending on regulatory oversight, ethical standards, and implementation practices within different contexts."

Analysis: Develops sophisticated position that acknowledges complexity and suggests contextual factors rather than simple preference.

Technique 3: Advanced Evidence Integration

Standard Approach: "Studies show that advertising affects people's buying decisions."

Band 9 Approach: "Research in behavioral psychology demonstrates that advertising frequently targets subconscious decision-making processes, particularly affecting children and vulnerable populations who lack developed critical evaluation skills."

Analysis: Uses specific academic reference with sophisticated vocabulary and detailed analysis of research implications.

BabyCode's Advanced Technique Mastery

Band 9 discussion essays require sophisticated techniques that demonstrate advanced analytical ability and mature thinking. BabyCode's technique training teaches students to use advanced approaches naturally while maintaining clarity and coherence.

Our system helps students develop the analytical sophistication that distinguishes exceptional discussion essays from good ones.

Advertising-Specific Vocabulary Guide

Marketing and Media Terms

Core Advertising Vocabulary:

• Marketing concepts: consumer behavior, brand positioning, target demographics, market segmentation
• Media terminology: advertising campaigns, media placement, audience reach, engagement metrics
• Digital advertising: online marketing, social media advertising, behavioral targeting, programmatic advertising
• Traditional media: print advertising, broadcast media, outdoor advertising, direct marketing

Advanced Collocations:

• Marketing strategies, consumer manipulation, advertising revenue, media consumption
• Brand loyalty, purchase decisions, advertising effectiveness, market penetration
• Commercial interests, promotional content, advertising standards, ethical guidelines

Economic and Social Impact Terms

Economic Vocabulary:

• Market effects: consumer demand, economic growth, market competition, innovation incentives
• Industry impact: creative industries, media sectors, employment generation, revenue streams
• Consumer economics: purchasing power, disposable income, consumer choice, price competition

Social Impact Terms:

• Psychological effects: consumer psychology, behavioral influence, cognitive biases, decision-making processes
• Social concerns: cultural values, social stereotypes, materialism, consumer culture
• Regulatory aspects: advertising standards, consumer protection, ethical guidelines, content restrictions

BabyCode's Advertising Topic Mastery

Advertising topics require understanding marketing principles, economic theory, psychology, and social policy. BabyCode's advertising specialization provides comprehensive vocabulary and conceptual understanding needed for sophisticated discussion.

Our program ensures students can engage with complex advertising topics at the analytical depth required for Band 9 performance.

Practice Applications and Extensions

Related Advertising Topics

Consumer Protection Focus: "Some believe consumers can make rational advertising decisions independently, while others argue people need protection from manipulative marketing. Discuss both views and give your opinion."

Digital Advertising Emphasis: "While some see targeted online advertising as helpful personalization, others view it as privacy invasion. Discuss both perspectives and state your view."

Cultural Impact Discussion: "Some argue advertising promotes cultural diversity by showcasing different products, while others believe it creates cultural homogenization. Discuss both views and give your opinion."

Strategic Approach Patterns

For All Advertising Topics:

1. Economic perspective: Consider market efficiency, innovation, employment effects
2. Social perspective: Analyze cultural impact, consumer welfare, social values
3. Regulatory perspective: Evaluate oversight needs, protection requirements, policy solutions
4. Practical synthesis: Develop positions that balance competing considerations

BabyCode's Complete Advertising Essay Mastery

Successfully handling advertising topics requires understanding marketing principles, economic theory, social psychology, and policy considerations. BabyCode's advertising essay program provides comprehensive preparation for media-related discussion topics.

Our specialized training includes vocabulary development, argument frameworks, current examples, and extensive practice with authentic IELTS questions. Students gain confidence discussing complex advertising issues while demonstrating the analytical sophistication required for Band 9 performance.

Ready to achieve Band 9 in advertising discussion essays? BabyCode's proven system has helped over 500,000 students master complex topics through systematic preparation and expert guidance. Transform your discussion essay writing with our advanced techniques and achieve the scores you need for your academic and professional goals.