CPE Cambridge Proficiency in English Exam. Essay Sample 2016

Submitted by Patryk Lukasz

#of words: 250

 Essay on the digitalisation of 

outdoor advertising

"Digitalisation" has come to change the world forever. This world´s digital transformation is particularly affecting the ways in which companies persuade people to buy their products. Both texts above discuss the pros and cons of digital advertising.

The first text views modern forms of advertising positively and recognises its potential to attract customers, as well as to inform people and to transmit information. There is an interesting opinion that our environment would suffer from lack of those digital billboards, and as we tend to treat shiny screens as something completely natural and sometimes even vital, it is difficult do disagree with that statement. What goes without saying, personally, is that some billboards can definitely cheer people up and even make someone´s journey to work more amusing.

In contrast, the second text emphasises some drawbacks of modern digital billboards. The author states that people are only attracted to them because they are new, and puts in doubt their capacity to sell more or inform better. Moreover, he states that our landscape receives no benefit whatsoever from the presence of this new technology. Another fact that is criticised, is electronic publicity being present even in historical city centres, which he finds rather disturbing.

While some people find digital advertising beneficial, others are convinced that it affects their peace of mind. But since the advantages of technology seem to outweigh the drawbacks, I am of the opinion that we should try to come to good terms with it, or at least learn to tolerate it.