IELTS Speaking Part 2: Describe an advertisement you have seen but you did not like

Describe an advertisement you have seen but you did not like
You should say:
Where and when you saw it
What the advertisement was for
What you could see in the advertisement
And explain why you did not like the advertisement

Useful Vocabulary and Expressions

1. Where and when you saw it:

• Vocabulary: location, time, platform, context, moment
• Expressions:
  • “I saw the advertisement…”
  • “It was shown on…”
  • “I came across this ad…”

2. What the advertisement was for:

• Vocabulary: product, service, campaign, promotion, brand
• Expressions:
  • “The advertisement was promoting…”
  • “It was an ad for…”
  • “The main focus of the advertisement was…”

3. What you could see in the advertisement:

• Vocabulary: visuals, imagery, content, message, elements
• Expressions:
  • “The advertisement featured…”
  • “In the ad, you could see…”
  • “The visuals included…”

4. Explain why you did not like the advertisement:

• Vocabulary: dislike, issue, problem, reason, dissatisfaction
• Expressions:
  • “I didn’t like the advertisement because…”
  • “The reason I disliked it was…”
  • “What bothered me about the ad was…”

Collocations

1. promotional campaign
2. visual elements
3. advertising strategy
4. negative impact
5. annoying feature
6. lack of creativity
7. poor execution
8. misleading information
9. repetitive content
10. intrusive advertisement

Sample Answer

I saw the advertisement last month on YouTube while I was watching a video. It was shown as a pre-roll ad, meaning it played before the video I intended to watch.

The advertisement was promoting a new energy drink. The main focus of the advertisement was to highlight how this drink could boost energy and improve focus, especially for athletes and people with active lifestyles.

The advertisement featured flashy visuals with bright colors and rapid cuts. In the ad, you could see several young people engaging in various sports activities like running, cycling, and skateboarding. There were also close-up shots of the drink itself, emphasizing its vibrant packaging and the refreshing liquid inside.

I didn’t like the advertisement because it had an annoying feature of being overly loud and flashy. The reason I disliked it was that the visuals were too aggressive and the music was very loud, which made it unpleasant to watch. Moreover, the ad seemed to lack creativity, relying on generic images of athletes and exaggerated claims about the drink’s benefits. What bothered me about the ad was also the intrusive nature of it; it interrupted my viewing experience, and the repetitive content didn’t add any real value or provide convincing reasons to try the product. The poor execution and misleading information about the product’s effectiveness contributed to my overall dissatisfaction with the advertisement.