有人说广告对经济有好的作用。其他人认为广告对社会有负面影响，因为它引起人们对生活的不满。讨论双边观点，给出你的立场。

这是一道双边类大作文，广告是雅思写作中常见的话题之一，主要都会围绕着广告的利弊来讨论。这道题目，双方观点不完全对立，建议持都赞同的角度切入。审题时需要注意的，第二个观点产生负面效应的原因是因为“it will make people feel dissatisfied with who they are and what they have”，因此需要扣住这个点来讨论。

下面，月半鸭和大家一起梳理下两边观点的合理性。

先来看广告对于经济的好处，主要有三方面。

一是广告通过宣传品牌、商品的好处或是激发消费者购买的欲望，以达到促使消费者购买的目的，拉动了消费的增长，进而促使了经济的增长。

二是客户产生更多的消费，意味着企业有更多的收入，有机会投入扩大生产规模、招募更多雇员，进一步提高企业对于经济的贡献。

三是广告行业的发展，本身也创造了一定数量的就业岗位和收入，对社会经济做出贡献。

再来看广告为什么会让人对“自身是谁”和“拥有什么”产生不满。

一是商品为了产生溢价，会通过广告将商品与身份地位相挂钩，宣扬“低端”和“”的感觉，比如包、鞋、服饰等。造成一些人会认为手里“低端”的东西比不上别人的，或是拉低自己的身份，进而产生不满和焦虑。这种攀比心理和过度物质的态度对社会是不利的。

二是广告可能会造成人们过度消费，有些人受到广告的影响，会超出经济承受能力去购买更加“”和“昂贵”的商品，进而加大了个人的经济负担，也对社会经济造成了风险和负面影响。

三是广告会造成不必要的消费，让人购买实际不需要的东西或是功能重复的消费，对于个人来说浪费钱，而那些不必要的商品大概率会被丢弃变成垃圾，其中不乏难以有效回收处理的东西。增加了污染的风险和环境爱惜的压力。

There is a belief that advertising has positive economic influences; nevertheless, others are more concerned about its repercussions for the populace, since marketing campaigns provoke people’s dissatisfaction with life. From my perspective, both views can be considered justified in a sense, and it is oversimplified to venerate either opinion over the other.  

When it comes to the relevance of this business approach to economy, the first thing to realize is its role in boosting companies’ revenue. The very conundrum that exhausts companies is how to increase product sales or expand their services to global market – both problems are where advertising has a role to play, be it to create awareness about the product or service in the minds of customers, or to build a brand image across the globe; had it not been for publicity, the profit of many industries would have witnessed a dramatic shrinkage. Not to be left behind is the value created by the advertising industry itself: it is imperative to recognize that it has prospered to be a mature business that spawns millions of job opportunities.

On the other hand, and from the perspective of the populace, it is also difficult for me to see advertising as anything other than a culprit leading to people’s unsatisfaction of life. Those championing its economic implications for businesses are oblivious to the fact that the economic blessings are at the cost of people’s happiness with who they are and what they have. Advertisers expose the public to new and exciting things and stir up their desires to spend more to alleviate their unsatisfactory feelings; examples regarding this include people’s pursuit for latest smart phones, fashionable clothes, etc. However, it inevitably exacerbates the extravagant lifestyle of younger generations, who are more susceptible to the publicity stunts. Adding to the point is the apprehension about the waste caused by relentless purchases – most of discarded items are made of non-biodegradable materials.    

From what has been discussed above, it is my conclusion therefore, advertising can be both blessings and curse, depending on which what stakeholders value more in a given context.

Provoke  激起  

Spawn  产生  

Culprit  罪魁祸首  

Alleviate  减轻  

Extravagant  浪费的

Non-biodegradable  不降解的