Topic: Describe an advertisement you don’t like

 When did you see it

Well, it is undeniable fact that advertisements are the backbone of our society. It creates numerous
employment opportunities as well as boosts the new products of a company. Most of the time, I don’t like to
watch advertisements but yes sometimes I can share those ads which are hilarious and informative However,
today I am going to talk about an advertisement that I don’t like.

It was about Sting drink. I saw it for the very first time when I was in XII standard. I was just watching one
YouTube video about my subject, and it was extremely important for me. In between the video, one ad came
related to a drink named Sting. This advertisement is promoting an energy drink and it is promoted by a very
famous celebrity in my nation. The content of this advertisement is unrealistic and influences people to drink
this beverage which is not healthy the celebrity even tells people having this cold drink will make them look
brave.

After listening to the brave word, I saw this advertisement from the beginning to the end. Even I forgot about
the educational video that I had to watch. I was just shocked that how a person can become brave by having a
drink. I also tried at that time. No doubt it is an energy drink. However, it has numerous side effects on our
health such as an increase in blood pressure and heart problems.

So, it is harmful to our bodies. Frankly speaking, I don’t like this drink as well as the advertisement because
this drink contains a lot of caffeine, and caffeine intake hurts digestive health and sleep quality. That thing will
make our body unfit. I also believe that the promotion of unhealthy drinks creates a lot of negative impacts on
youth. So, this is an advertisement that I don’t like.

Sample 02:

I am not sure if quitting smoking should be counted as a big achievement but to me, it was the supreme
triumph in the past few years in my life. I would like to thank you for this nice cue card topic and the time you
have allowed me to talk about one of my feats that I feel very proud of.

I can't be sure how it started but in the third semester of my university, I found myself smoking cigarettes and
without even noticing, this became a habit I could not leave behind. Initially, it was just curiosity and fun, but
not after a few months when I was already a regular smoker. However, last year I finally stopped smoking as it
was my only new year resolution and I feel great about it. To be more precise, I quit smoking on the 31st night
in 2020.
I have tried to quit smoking several times in the past 3 years and it was not easy. It was both a physical and
psychological challenge to which I yielded and finally started this heinous act again. But it was not the case on
the 31st night in 2020. My determination helped me overcome this and achieve something I have failed
several other times in my life.

Smoking is a silent killer and a habit that no one should be in. The first time I tried to quit smoking was the
time I realized how difficult it was. It was like iterating in a circle that does not close! The urge to puff a few
more times never ended and I was feeling the lack of stamina when playing football or table tennis. I was quite
determined, however, to get back to the stage when smoking was not a part of my life. Luckily I am without it
for the last few months. This is, in fact, is one of the biggest achievements of my life.

Sample 03:

Well, I generally don’t like to watch a lot of advertisements because I think they are a waste of time. Although
some ads are funny and informative then there are some ads that can really annoy or irritate people. And today,
I would like to talk about one such advertisement which I really dislike whenever it’s on air.

It is the ad for a toilet cleaner and its run time is about 45 seconds. What happens in this advertisement is that a
TV show host visits four to five different households and asks the house owners about the cleanliness level of
their toilets. Most of the people say that their toilets are clean but then he insists on seeing them. And then the
camera zooms on to the actual toilet seats, which are very dirty and have yellow brown stains on them. The host
then recommends the blue colored toilet cleaner and applies it to the dirty toilet seats. After this, the toilets are
shown as sparkling clean just like a brand-new toilet.

Now, there are two main reasons why I hate this advertisement. First is obviously the dirty toilet seat being
shown on television. I think it would give nausea to anyone watching it. The second, and the worst part about
this ad is its timing. Normally, I watch the television while having my food during lunch or dinner, and this the
time when they show this ad repeatedly. I feel so disgusted, and I am not able to eat my food after watching this
ad.

Nowadays, this ad is being shown on YouTube as well and I always do sip ad whenever it comes online. I wish
there should be a method that should allow the viewers to choose the type of ads they would like to see.

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SPEAKING PART 3
1. Why do some people hate advertisements?

Sample 01: 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.

Sample 02: People do not like advertisements while they are watching a program because ads break the
continuity. Another annoying factor is that most of the ads are very repetitive and there is nothing new. But
the fact remains that if there are no advertising agencies to sponsor the programs, we will not be able to
watch good programs.

Sample 03: Advertisements annoy people in between the program and some advertisings are full of sensitive
content. The content is always far away from reality so some hate advertisements.

2. Do people usually buy stuff after watching advertisements?

Sample 01: Yes, definitely many people buy the products after they watch an ad. Many of the advertisements
are very innovative as well as informative these days. An advert can lure a wide range of people, from small
children to senior citizens.

Sample 02: In this modern era, fierce competition has become an integral 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.

Sample 03: No, they do not buy after watching an advertisement, but they are encouraged to buy. When
everyone wants that product, they remember the advertisement and feel related, so it has an effect to some
extent on buying behavior of people.

3. Is music useful in advertising?

Sample 01: Yes, music adds life to the ad. Music can add meaning to anything and so music is useful in ads. For
example, some jingles keep ringing in your ears even after the ad is over. So, the purpose of the ad is fulfilled.

Sample 02: 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.

Sample 03: Absolutely some advertisements are very entertaining, and they have wonderful content. And
music makes the content stand and convenience the audience, so music is an integral part of advertisements.

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

Sample 01: 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.

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Sample 02: TV ads have both audio and video component. So, these give visual reminders of the products and
that is what sells the products. Internet ads can be skipped, and it is optional and up to the user whether to
view them or not.

Sample 03: There is a huge difference in television advertisements as they are long in duration compared to
internet advertisements which people can skip. However, people cannot skip advertisements on television.

5. Where usually do we see adverts?

Sample 01: We see ads all around us – on TV, on the radio, on roadsides, in newspapers, in magazines, on the
internet, on phones and as flyers.

Sample 02: In this modern era, advertisements have made inroads in our lives, and we see them everywhere,
from shopping malls to small streets and TV to the internet.

Sample 03: We see advertisements everywhere beginning with newspapers, fliers, television, internet, movies
and social media. Advertisements are flooded where the audience is available.

6. Are there any advertisements at school?

Sample 01: Sometimes, supermarkets and fast-food outlets give money to schools and open their outlets in
schools. This is a way of advertising their products.

Sample 02: 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.

Sample 03: No, there is very little advertisement in school as the government censors it. Children do not know
reality so they can have negative effects, so school authorities also control this.

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

Sample 01: There are some inappropriate ads, like the ad of some perfumes, which imply that if a boy wears
that perfume, girls will flock around him, and the ads of some drinks like coke and Pepsi. The ad of condoms is
not inappropriate in my opinion. It is an important step in sex education.

Sample 02: 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.

Sample 03: No advertisement of a condom is not inappropriate in fact it spreads awareness in people about
sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancy. Only nudity should be controlled in such
advertisements.

8. Why does the government allow such ads?

Sample 01: The government allows such ads because these ads spend a lot, which boosts the economy. Not
only does the government earn, but the people working in these ads also earn a lot.

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Sample 02: 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.

Sample 03: Government has very little control in the free market. They only control content which is offensive,
sensitive and other advertisements are telecasted freely in the audience.

9. Do you think it is bad for children?

Sample 01: Yes, sometimes children are lured to buy such things, but I feel that parents can play a very
positive role by keeping an eye on their children and guiding them on what is right or wrong.

Sample 02: Yes, inappropriate ads are detrimental to children, as they can divert their focus toward
unnecessary activities. 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.

Sample 03: Yes, today to grab the attention of the audience, advertisement makers use cheap slang, weird
colors and clothes, nudity is also promoted which has very bad effects on immature children.

10. Do parents complain about it?

Sample 01: Yes, parents complain about it at times, but the advantages these ads are giving to the country,
are much more than the negative effects of these ads.

Sample 02: Yes, parents complain about inappropriate ads, but the higher authorities allow them to generate
more revenue.

Sample 03: No parents cannot complain about this because it happens with proper permission and approval.
Only they can keep children away and make them aware of such content.

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 behavioral 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.

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VOCABULARY
advertising agency: công ty quảng cáo

advertising budget: ngân sách dành cho quảng cáo

brand awareness: độ nhận diện thương hiệu

brand loyalty: mức độ trung thành với thương hiệu

buy and sell: thường chỉ sự bán và mua giữa những cá nhân

call to action: kêu gọi hành động cụ thể ( vd: mua hàng hoặc nhấn vào đường dẫn trên trang web)

celebrity endorsement: người nổi tiếng quảng cáo sản phẩm

classified ads: mục rao vặt trong báo

to cold call: cuộc gọi tiếp thị

commercial break: quảng cáo trên TV

commercial channel: kênh truyền hình kiếm lợi nhuận từ việc chiếu quảng cáo

to go viral: cực kì phổ biến

junk mail: thư rác

to launch a product: giới thiệu sản phẩm mới

mailing list: danh sách thư điện tử

mass media: truyền thông đại chúng

press release: thông cáo báo chí

prime time: giờ vàng

social media: truyền thông xã hội

spam email: thư rác điện tử

word of mouth: truyền miệng