ESSAY INFORMATION:
Written by: Xuân Phi, 19/07/2021
Supported by: Ex-BC Examiner, 20/07/2021
Question: Large companies use sports events to promote their products. Some people think it has a negative impact on sports. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
(IELTS Academic – 17/07/2021)
ANSWER:
The discourse regarding the impact of product advertising in sporting events has generated controversy in recent years. Some argue that corporations exert a positive influence on sports since they promote products that can encourage participation in sports. In my estimation, I do not agree with this sentiment since corporations promote products that enable a sedentary lifestyle.
Admittedly, corporations can use these events to promote products that will encourage active lifestyles. To cite an example, during the 2014 World Cup, Adidas released the official tournament ball named ‘Brazuca’ and heavily promoted it on their social media accounts including Twitter and Instagram. The company made a concerted marketing effort to advertise the ball’s design, aerodynamics and production process. The marketing push behind ‘Brazuca’ during the 2014 World Cup actively encouraged viewers to buy the ball and it sold out in Adidas stores worldwide. This encouraged and continues to exert an influence on the exercise habits of millions around the world. This instance clearly illustrates the positive influence corporations can exert when promoting their products during sports events.
However, corporations have more often been known to promote products during sports that precipitate passive lifestyles. For instance, McDonald’s was the official restaurant of the 2012 Olympics in London. During the event, they released an exclusively branded menu that included burgers, fries and milkshakes. According to a spokesman for the Academy of Royal Medical Colleges, the menu was recklessly unhealthy as the average calorie count for each item was over 900. When combined together to make a meal, the calorie count reached upwards to 3600, which is nearly twice the recommended intake for the average adult. Essentially, McDonald’s was promoting obesity in countries such as England where such a lifestyle is becoming more prevalent and represents a present danger to public health.
In conclusion, while there have been instances of corporations having a positive influence on sports through the promotion of their products, the evidence to the contrary is more substantial. In the future, sporting event organizers should be more discriminatory in choosing sponsors, preferring preferably those with products that spread a meaningful message.
Word count: 349
WORD LIST:
ENGLISH | TIẾNG VIỆT |
Discourse | Cuộc thảo luận mang tính |
Controversy | Cuộc tranh cãi (một vấn đề nào đó) |
Sentiment | Quan điểm |
Sedentary lifestyle | Lối sống ít vận động |
Concerted effort | Sự nỗ lực chung |
Aerodynamics | Khí động học |
Passive lifestyle | Lối sống không vững vàng dễ bị kiểm soát |
Substantial | Đáng kể |
Spectator | Khán giả |
Accumulate | Tích lũy |
Obtrusive | Gây khó chịu |
City billboard | Bảng quảng cáo của thành phố |
Amateur circuit | Giải đấu cho các tuyển thủ nghiệp dư |
Football jersey | Áo của đội tuyển bóng đá |