Writing Topic
Advertising is a constant presence in our lives. Some
advertisements are enjoyable and effective, but others are annoying. Choose an
advertisement you think either very good or very bad, and explain why you
either like or dislike this particular advertisement. Include specific details
to explain your response.
☆Let’s think
1. One way to choose an
advertisement for this essay would be first to brainstorm good and bad points
of advertisements and try to come up with one that fits some of the points. Discuss
good and bad points of advertisements.
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Good Points of Advertisements |
Bad Points of Advertisements |
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2. What do you think is a
difficult part of writing an essay answering today’s question?
Note
One difficult part of answering the question of today’s
writing essay might be how you describe and explain. The reader might not know
the ad you are writing about, so you have to describe it in detail. Also, you
have to explain the reason why you think it is good/bad. Sense is personal, and
it requires careful explanation, or you will fail to convey to the reader the
excitement you got from the ad.
☆Hints for Points
Good points of advertisements
1. They provide
information about goods and services people are interested in.
2. They entertain
viewers with attractive features and good ideas.
3. Non-commercial
advertisements attract attention to important issues
Bad points of advertisements
1. They take up more
space and time and are louder than the contents.
2. They promote
consumerism and materialism. They make people want what is not really
necessary.
3. Some ads have little
or no information about what is advertised.
☆Ideas and Expressions
1. Play audio charade with the
following advertisements.
2. Choose one of the advertisements
you like/dislike, and explain why.
A.
Color-blind world
B.
Quit smoking
C. Love your enemy
D.
Technology for development
E.
Donate now
F. Eho-maki roll
G.
Beer
H.
Kei
Nishokori & Naomi Osaka (Nisshin)
I. Filipino housemaids
☆Let’s prepare
Now let’s prepare for your essay
by asking each other the following questions.
Q. 1 Would you describe the advertisement you are
going to write about?
e.g. The advertisement is a
poster showing a woman eating what looks like a hamburger with plenty of cigarette
butts instead of meat.
Q.
2 Would you describe the issue related to the ad?
e.g. Smoking is bad for the
health. It’s addictive nature, second-hand smoking, and the tobacco industry
are other related issues.
Q.
3 What do you think of the advertisement?
e.g. I think the advertisement
is good because the visual image helps people realize the reality of smoking,
taking in poison in a disgusting way.
☆Essay for ideas and
expressions
Walking down a street in
downtown Tokyo the other day, I looked up, saw an advertisement, and was
fascinated by its simple design. I thought it was very good because it was
eye-catching, inspiring, and practical.
The advertisement that caught my
eye was a bulletin board of the biggest size on top of a tall building in
Shibuya, one of the busiest districts in Tokyo. It had nothing on it except for
a small phone number in the center. It made a huge white square against the sky
as if it were a copy of The White Album of The Beatles placed on a blue table.
First, I thought that the
bulletin board was empty and wondered why no one was interested in putting up
an ad in such a crowded area. Next, I noticed the phone number, and then I
realized that it was the number of the bulletin board company and that it was
the advertisement of the advertisement space. I smiled because it made my mind
light as things with a good idea always do. It was beautifully asserting its
existence, saying “Here is a good space for advertisement” to those who might
be interested.
I thought this ad was very good
because it attracts attention and makes you think. Among numerous ads in all
colors and designs, which are abundant in the shopping and pop-culture center, a
huge blank white square stands out. The ad gives you joy of question-solving
and, by doing so, it gives you a good impression about the advertiser. Also,
you can call the company on the spot if you are interested.
If I were the advertiser, I
would have been tempted to put the name of the company in large letters near
the phone number. However, this would reduce the beauty of the minimalist expression
and make the ad an ordinary one without any impact. In practice, you will not be
bothered by the absence of the name. It is not the name but the number that you
need to use the service. You see the ad and
you call, before trying to find out the company name. The absence of the name is
strategically successful in appealing to potential clients.
Even if this design is actually
often used when an advertising company advertises itself, there is no denying
that it stimulates your mind when you see it for the first time. Advertisements
that challenge conventional ideas and your intelligence always win. I think
this simplest ad is one of them.
