Describe an advertisement that you don’t like IELTS Cue Card

IELTS CUE CARD TOPIC

Describe an advertisement that you don’t like

You should say:

When did you see it?
What is it about?
Where you saw it/how you came to know about it?
Why you didn’t like it?

NOTE – The examiner gives you one minute to plan your answer, and to help you prepare for the topic, the examiner provides you with a pencil and a notepad. You’ll have to answer the questions given on the topic for one-to-two minutes

Sample 1

Introduction

In this modern era, advertisements have become an integral part of our lives, and we thrive primarily on them to gain knowledge regarding various products and services.

I recently saw an advertisement I didn’t like, and I left no stone unturned to condemn it.

When did you see it?

I saw it last year when I watched a movie to spend my leisure time with my friends.

What is it about?

The advertisement is about a tobacco product. The main character in the advert consumes a tobacco product from a pouch and becomes full of beans after that.

The immense power he gains from consuming that product helps him beat the robbers stealing from a bank in one stroke.

Where you saw it/how you came to know about it?

I saw it in a theatre where I went to watch the movie. And this advertisement came thrice during the movie.

Why didn’t you like it?

I didn’t like that advertisement because it is well-known that tobacco products are detrimental to our health, and consuming them can lead to disastrous repercussions.

However, the advertiser did his best to showcase tobacco as an energy booster.

Influenced by such advertisements, teenagers and youngsters can follow this imprudent approach to consuming tobacco products.

And this could be harmful to the current generation and posterity.

Hence I was not too fond of that advertisement, and I wrote to the information and broadcasting ministry to ban such advertisements. My request bore good results, and that advertisement was forbidden.

Sample 2

Introduction

In this modern era, advertisements have become part and parcel of our lives. Although I like watching adverts, I dislike one of them.

When did you see it?

I saw it last year.

What is it about?

It is about astrology, in which an astrologer gives a prediction. A girl asks the astrologer how she can clear her exam, and he tells her that if she wears a bracelet offered by her, she will get the desired result.

The girl wears it and passes her exam with flying colours.

Where you saw it/how you came to know about it?

I saw it on TV.

Why didn’t you like it?

I was not too fond of it for umpteen reasons. First and foremost was that I am not a firm believer in astrology. We get results according to our good and bad deeds, so doing things like wearing a bracelet or donating money to get the results is an imprudent approach.

Moreover, by seeing such advertisements, many people stop doing hard work and start believing that their luck is not in their favour and they can bring good days in life by following the astrologer’s advice.

Apart from this, astrologers waste our quality time. There is no denying this conviction that luck is not in our hands, but doing hard work is within our reach. When we go through challenging times, we need to take tough calls to keep our life on track.

By believing in the prediction of astrologers, we invite troubles into our lives.

That is why I was not too fond of that advertisement.

Sample 3

Introduction

Although advertising aims to create awareness regarding various products and services, only some advertisements exhibit false information. One such ad is worth mentioning.

When did you see it?

I saw it last month while watching a cricket match between India and Pakistan.

What is it about?

The advertisement is about fruit juice which comes in a tetra pack.

Where you saw it/how you came to know about it?

I saw it at home for the first time, and now I see it regularly because it comes in the middle of any TV program I watch.

Why didn’t you like it?

I was not too fond of this advertisement because it depicted false information. There is no denying this conviction that fruits are good for us, but we consume fruit juice, it has fewer nutrients.

So the nutritional value of a fruit declines when we convert it into juice. Moreover, it further decreases when we add preservatives to store it for extended periods. And to maintain the sweetness of the liquid, the companies add artificial sweeteners.

Now my problem with that advertisement is that it exaggerates the benefits of juice which is detrimental to our health. It is a gospel truth that consuming sugar in large quantities harms our health, and the juice prompted through the advertisement has eight spoons of sugar inside it.

Many people consume these juices with the view that they are suitable for their health, but the reality is different. And by advertising such unhealthy products, the companies are playing with the lives of innocent people.

Due to these reasons, I was not too fond of that advertisement.

Sample 4

Introduction

There is no denying this conviction that advertisements are beneficial for all sections of society. As they provide knowledge to the consumers, increase business owners’ sales and bring revenue for the government in tax collection.

Although I appreciate most of the advertisements, there is one which I dislike.

When did you see it?

This advertisement is for fast food company called Mcdonalds.

What is it about?

It is about a teenager who cannot accompany his parents to a wedding celebration due to his exams. His parents leave him alone for three days to attend the function.

In their absence, he orders all the meals from Mcdonald’s, and due to that, his study isn’t affected because he need not spend time cooking.

Moreover, the burger he eats is showcased as nutritious and delicious. And when his family comes back, they also become big fans of Mcdonalds’.

Where you saw it/how you came to know about it?

I saw this advertisement on TV while watching a news channel.

Why didn’t you like it?

There are many reasons for disliking that advertisement. The most prominent reason is that in these commercials, the advertisers leave no stone unturned to show unhealthy food as beneficial and suitable, which is a blatant lie. Still, such promotions encourage people towards poor nutrition and obesity.

Additionally, the central focus of fast food companies is on children and teens with their advertising, leading to a lifetime pattern of detrimental eating habits.

Finally, this advertisement needs to be more accurate as it contains a lot of exaggeration, showing the food as delicious, which is not valid.

Sample 5

Introduction

Although I am a big fan of advertisements, I’m not too fond of one because of its content.

When did you see it?

I saw it for the first time when I was just seven years old.

What is it about?

It is about the fairness cream ‘Fair and lovely. The ad depicts a girl not getting marriage proposals because of her dark complexion. Many boys come to see her, but all reject her because of her dusky colour.

Upset with rejection, she feels depressed. One day her friend visits her place and gifts her a pack of “Fair and Lovely cream’.She tells her there will be a paradigm shift in her complexion after applying this cream. The girl follows her friend’s advice, and in the end, her complexion undergoes sea change and becomes fair, and she gets a marriage proposal from a tall and handsome guy.

Where you saw it/how you came to know about it?

I saw it on television.

Why didn’t you like it?

There are many reasons which make me dislike this advertisement. The first and foremost is the false claim of the advertiser.

The facts mentioned in this advertisement seem exaggerated because our complexion does not change by applying creams. It thrives primarily on our diet.

Moreover, showing dark complex as a reason for marriage proposal rejections is an imprudent approach. There are billions of people living on Earth with dark complexions. And displaying such advertisements is unfair to them because many people pass unsolicited comments about their skin colour after watching them.

Sample 6

Introduction

There is no denying this conviction that the primary purpose of advertising is to educate people regarding various products and services. However, the advertisers do not follow the guidelines and produce adverts that promote wrong narratives. One such advertisement is worth mentioning.

When did you see it?

I saw it for the first time two years back.

What is it about?

The advertisement is about a newly married couple that orders all the meals through an online food delivery application called Zomato.

Where you saw it/how you came to know about it?

I saw it on television during the commercial break while watching my favourite program on TV, “The Kapil Sharma Show.”

Why didn’t you like it?

For many reasons, I was not in solidarity with the idea expressed in the advertisement. Firstly its content is inappropriate because it is shown that the husband is taking utmost care of his wife by not letting her cook any meal at home. He orders all the meals through Zomato. This picturization is detrimental to the audience because outside food is not suitable for our health.

We can have occasional meals from outside, but having all of them from online delivery is an imprudent approach. When we cook food at home, we take utmost care of the ingredients and refrain from putting anything detrimental to our health. On the other hand, the food outlets’ central focus is profit maximization. They leave no stone unturned to produce food that costs less to them to keep sufficient margins. Therefore by promoting outside food through its advertisements, Zomato is playing with the lives of innocent people.

Sample 7

Introduction

I’m not too fond of only a few advertisements, and one of them is worth mentioning.

When did you see it?

I saw his advertisement last summer.

What is it about?

This advertisement is about a student who opts for online classes instead of going to school, and with the help of his teacher, who teaches him through a computer, he passes his 10th standard with flying colours.

Where you saw it/how you came to know about it?

This advertisement frequently came during the telecast of IPL matches last year.

Why didn’t you like it?

There were many reasons for disliking it. Firstly, the advertisement’s content is detrimental to children’s health. There is no denying this conviction that online education has made inroads in our lives because of technological breakthroughs. However, it poses severe threats to children’s health. By watching the screen for long hours, students can damage their eyesight. Moreover, sitting at a stretch for long hours invites back pain troubles.

Apart from this, online classes are harmful to children’s mental health. The intellectual development of students thrives primarily on the people they meet or interact with. However, with online courses, face-to-face interaction declines, which is counterproductive for children’s cognitive development.

Lastly, the relationship between a teacher and a student is imperative to lead a student’s life towards impressive growth. In online classes, the students do not study under the close supervision of a teacher.No doubt technology helps in tracking but to some extent. Due to this reason, teachers cannot extract the best out of their students.

Hence, the advertisement for online learning for students did not appeal to me.

Follow ups

Here are some examples of follow-up questions that the examiner might ask during your speaking part 3 related to the cue card “Describe an advertisement that you don’t like”.

1. Why do some people hate advertisements?

Some people hate advertisements for two main reasons. Firstly promotions come in between watching the programs, and they break the continuity. Hence the viewing experience declines considerably. Apart from this, advertisers have this uncanny knack for exaggerating the products and services in the commercials, and due to this reason, some individuals dislike advertising.

2. Do people usually buy stuff after watching advertisements?

In this modern era, fierce competition has become an essential part of our lives, so most people need more spare time at their disposal. In such a scenario, advertisements are a blessing because they empower people with knowledge of new products. Due to this, the percentage of people who buy products after watching advertisements is increasing considerably.

3. Is music valuable in advertising?

Yes, music is helpful in advertising; firstly, it enticingly presents the product or service. Secondly, while listening to the tune, it is easy for the general public to identify a product or service.

4. What are the advantages of TV advertisements? How about internet advertisements?

TV advertisements require more attention and come in both video and audio formats. So we pay more heed to them. On the other hand, internet ads come in various forms, and video ads are skippable in some instances.

5. Where usually do we see adverts?

In this modern era, advertisements have made inroads n our lives, and we see them everywhere, from shopping malls to small streets and TV to the internet.

6. Are there any advertisements at school?

Yes, advertisements have become an integral part of schools. Especially publication houses, fast food companies, and sports goods manufacturing organizations leave no stone unturned to advertise their products in educational institutions to generate more revenue.

7. Are there some inappropriate adverts, like that of a condom?

Some ads show inappropriate content, like perfume ads where the product is shown as a seductive one. As far as condom ads are concerned, they are informational and necessary to create awareness so that people can use them wisely for family planning.

8. Why does the government allow such ads?

The government allows the showcasing of inappropriate ads due to revenue generation because the promoters of such ads pay considerable money to promote their products and services. Due to this, the higher authorities strengthen the state’s exchequer.

9. Do you think it is bad for children?

Yes, inappropriate ads are detrimental to children, as they can divert their focus toward unnecessary activities because advertisers project that their product or service is the greatest thing since sliced bread. It is the bounden duty of the parents and the teachers to educate the children about what type of ads they should watch and what they must ignore.

10. Do parents complain about it?

Yes, parents complain about inappropriate ads, but the higher authorities allow them to generate more revenue.

11. How have advertisements changed in the past decade?

In the last decade, there has been a paradigm shift in how companies present advertisements to us. Firstly there is the wide usage of digital platforms to exhibit adverts. Whether reading a blog or watching a video, the advertisements will come from every nook and corner.

Apart from this, companies have started using behavioural science more while designing ads. It helps them change their promotional strategy according to the changing needs and seasons.

Lastly, many companies have realized that advertisements are annoying for certain people. So they have started charging a subscription for ad-free content. Youtube is the prime example where you can watch ad-free content by paying nominal fees.

Vocab

1. Leave no stone unturned

Meaning: Use every possible course of action to do a task.

Sentence: The airport authorities leave to stone unturned to provide seamless service to travellers. This attitude is must have to enhance the reputation.

2. Umpteen

Meaning: A lot

Sentence: Currently, there are umpteen options at the disposal of youngsters to work from home. Many IT companies prefer work-from-home employees, and they do not want their workforce to commute to the office.

3. Gospel Truth

Meaning: an entirely true statement

Sentence: It is a gospel truth that human beings are harming the planet earth for their ulterior motives. This selfish attitude leads to pressing problems such as global warming and pollution.

4. Worth mentioning

Meaning: Important enough to require a comment.

Sentence: The role of potatoes in the typical Indian diet is worth mentioning. From breakfast to evening snacks and dinner, its presence is everywhere—people from all walks of life, especially children, like it the most.

5. Detrimental

Meaning: Harmful

Sentence: The consumption of refined flour is detrimental to our health. First, it has less nutritional value, and second, its digestion requires a lot of time. Therefore, people from all walks of life should refrain from having it.

6. Uncanny Knack

Meaning: Strange Habit

Sentence: We should refrain from having this uncanny knack for wasting a sizeable proportion of our valuable time on social media.

7. Integral

Meaning: Essential

Sentence: Potato is an integral ingredient of many mouth-watering delicacies of North India, but very few people know it is not a native Indian vegetable. The Portuguese sailors brought it to India in the 17th century.

8. At your disposal

Meaning: Available for you to use at any time

Sentence: Due to colonial invasion, the number of vegetables and fruits at people’s disposal has increased appreciably. Earlier people had few eating options. For example, potatoes, tomatoes and green chilly came to India just 500 years back.

9. Sea change

Meaning: Transformation

Sentence: After practising intermittent fasting, there was a sea change in my overall fitness, and I got a clean health bill.

10. Greatest thing since sliced bread

Meaning: The best thing

Sentence: The discovery of the internet is the greatest thing since sliced bread because it empowers us to do everything from soups to nuts.

11. Full of beans

Meaning: Happy One

Sentence: Yuvraj Sing was full of beans after hitting six sixes in a row.

12. In one stroke

Meaning: Immediately

Sentence: My friend has a cast iron stomach and despite eating much food in one stroke he doesn’t gain weight.