Marketing and Mind Control IELTS Reading

Feb 2, 2023

Marketing and Mind Control IELTS Reading contains a write up about the marketing and strategies. Marketing and Mind Control IELTS Reading contains a total of 8 paragraphs. Related to the paragraphs are 13 questions. Candidates in this IELTS Section will be shown various question types with clear instructions. The paragraphs provide information regarding different marketing and advertising strategies. There is also information about mind control through marketing.

Marketing and Mind Control IELTS Reading is an IELTS Reading passage which comprises three types of questions: Answer the questions, yes/no and not given and choose the correct option. Each paragraph must be carefully and attentively read by candidates. No more than two words may be used in the response. Answers must be drawn from the paragraph and be based on the statements in the questions.Some information has not been mentioned in the paragraph which must be answered as not given. To gain proficiency, candidates can practice from IELTS reading practice test.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Marketing And Mind Control IELTS Reading

How marketing and advertising appeal to the associative nature of the brain

While there had been a long tradition of giving rings as a commitment to marry, the custom of giving diamond engagement rings was in large part manufactured by one of the most effective marketing campaigns in history . In the early 1900s, diamond sales were declining, posing a serious problem for the company that essentially had control over the diamond market. In 1938, this company hired an advertising agency. Which proposed reshaping social attitudes toward diamonds? As well as magazines showing film stars draped in diamonds, the agency arranged for movies to incorporate diamond engagement rings into their plots. The campaign culminated with the slogan:' A diamond is forever. At the time, the approach was unique. Rather than pushing a brand, the objective was to promote diamonds as the symbol of everlasting love. This was achieved by exploiting the associative nature of the brain: associating neurons! Activated by the concept of' love ' with neurons that encoded the concept of “diamonds. By 1941, diamond sales had increased by 55 %.
Advertising comes in many forms, from blatant neon signs to subtly embedded products in movies. In each case, the goal is to mold our habits, desires and opinions. Our visual system is targeted by an avalanche of information on the internet, street posters, and billboards and in movie theaters. Our auditory system submits to catchy radio jingles and telemarketers. More surreptitiously, our olfactory system is targeted by variations of vanilla and citrus perfumes aimed at enticing US to linger in a retail outlet. It is difficult to measure how effective these campaigns are, but as in the ' A diamond is forever ’ campaign, they can be so successful that they change the fabric of our culture. In the case of bottled water, we are swayed by advertising into paying for something that we can obtain for free. Most people cannot distinguish bottled water from tap water, much less between brands of bottled water, which is why you rarely hear of a bottled water company proposing a blind taste test.
MSo why is marketing such an effective mind - control technique? It is interesting to consider whether other animals exhibit anything analogous to humans ' susceptibility to advertising. If we provide a lab rat with two types of cereal, it will consume approximately the same amount of each. However, if we put that rat with another rat that spent its day eating just one type, when faced with a choice, our rat will now show a preference for the same type as the other rat was eating. Psychologists call this ' socially transmitted food preference ‘.
What many regard as the first documented examples of cultural learning in primates started with a clever monkey that lived in a colony of Japanese monkeys on the island of Koshima. She began taking her dirt - covered sweet potatoes to the river to wash them before eating them. Upon seeing this, a few 11 other open - minded monkeys picked up on the idea. Potato washing then spread from monkey to monkey and, over the course of a few years, most monkeys were eating clean potatoes. Humans are clearly not the only animals to engage in imitation and social learning.
Learning by observation can be an extraordinarily valuable brain feature, this is how we learn to communicate and perform motor skills as well as deal with many everyday problems. For example, a newcomer struggling to purchase tickets and navigate the subway system in a foreign city may step back to learn from the people nearby. Humans and other primates exhibit multiple forms of imitative learning and this is called cultural transmission.
A component of advertising relies on the marketer's ability to tap into the brain’s propensity for imitation. Anybody who has watched TV knows advertisements are disproportionately populated with attractive, successful looking individuals. If we are going to imitate someone, we are more inclined to imitate those who appear to be popular and appealing.
Although not all researchers are convinced by the findings, a number of studies indicate that some animals also imitate dominant members of their group. Primatologist Frans de Waal provides anecdotal evidence of preferential imitation among chimpanzees. He noted that in one particular group the dominant male was hurt and was limping as a result. Soon unlikely if a non-dominant male had been injured.
Imitation is undoubtedly an invaluable ability, but often our propensity to imitate generalizes indiscriminately, leading to poor decisions. When athlete Dick Fosbury revolutionized the high jump by jumping over the bar backward in 1968, imitators obviously copied his jumping style, not his brand of sports shoes. However, today, sports people appear in advertisements asking the US to buy the laptops or sports drinks that they promote. Rationally, we know these people's success did not depend on these products, so it seems our propensity to purchase products relates more to neural programs that evolved to encourage imitation of those further up the social ladder. Today , companies engage in stealth marketing campaigns in which people are paid to frequent bars or websites to covertly promote certain products. Companies also perform studies in which they track the eye movements of people viewing displays , and carefully craft names , packages and jingles associated with their products. While we may like to believe that manipulation on a grand scale would not be possible, that's not to say that advertising is innately harmful. To the contrary, the marketing of products or ideas is essential to human culture. The point is that we should ensure our choices reflect our actual goals and desires, and we must distinguish between the dissemination of information which is for our own good, and our manipulation for the benefit of companies.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation

Questions 1-5

Choose the correct letter, A, B, c or D.

Write the correct letter in boxes 1-5 on your answer sheet.

According to the writer, which marketing technique attempts to make consumers stay in a shop for longer?

playing appealing music
emitting pleasant scents
displaying attractive posters
making in - store announcements

Answer: B
Supporting Statement: More surreptitiously, our olfactory system is targeted by variations of vanilla and citrus perfumes aimed at enticing US to linger in a retail outlet.
Keywords: surreptitiously, perfumes
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2
Explanation: As per paragraph 2, it has been mentioned that variations of vanilla as well as citrus scents sneakily target our olfactory system in an effort to entice us to stay in a retail establishment. So, the correct answer is B.

The writer mentions bottled water in order to show that

consumers buy it because of the fact that it is marketed.
people purchase it despite the fact that it has no taste.
marketers need not do taste tests when a campaign is effective.
tests prove that people cannot differentiate it from tap water.

Answer: A
Supporting Statement: Most people cannot distinguish bottled water from tap water, much less between brands of bottled water, which is why you rarely hear of a bottled water company proposing a blind taste test.
Keywords: distinguish bottled water, tap water
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2
Explanation: As per paragraph 2, it has been stated that most consumers are unable to tell the difference between different brands of bottled water or between bottled water and tap water, which is why you hardly ever hear of bottled water companies suggesting a blind tasting test. So, the correct answer is A.

According to the writer, socially transmitted food preference occurs when

only dominant members of an animal group influence what others eat.
the same types of animals naturally prefer the same types of food.
animals are influenced by what other animals of the same species eat.
a food type is more desirable because an animal views that food as scarce.

Answer: C
Supporting Statement: If we provide a lab rat with two types of cereal, it will consume approximately the same amount of each. However, if we put that rat with another rat that spent its day eating just one type, when faced
with a choice, our rat will now show a preference for the same type as the other rat was eating. Psychologists call this ' socially transmitted food preference
Keywords: psychologist, socially transmitted food preference
Keyword Location: Paragraph 3
Explanation: As per paragraph 3, giving an example writer mentions A lab rat will eat about the same amounts of both types of cereal if we give it two different kinds. When given an option, our rat will now exhibit a preference for the same kind as the other rat was eating if we pair it with another rat who spent the entire day eating only one type. This is known as "socially transmitted food choice" by psychologists. So, the correct answer is C.

According to the writer, how is learning by observation and imitation a useful feature of the brain?

it helps people overcome challenges.
positive models can influence social behavior.
it can give an advantage when communicating with others.
cultural norms and relationships can be understood more easily

Answer: D
Supporting Statement: Learning by observation can be an extraordinarily valuable brain feature, this is how we learn to communicate and perform motor skills as well as deal with many everyday problems. Humans and
other primates exhibit multiple forms of imitative learning and this is called cultural transmission.
Keywords: cultural transmission, observation
Keyword Location: Paragraph 5
Explanation: As per paragraph 5, it has been stated that learning by doing is a very significant brain function that helps us develop our communication and motor abilities as well as our ability to solve many common difficulties.Cultural transmission describes the various imitational learning behaviors that humans and other primates display. So, the correct answer is D.

According to the writer, how does television advertising exploit the human tendency to imitate others ?

It shows buying behavior that marketers want to encourage in viewers.
It features people who have a desirable image.
It shows older people whom teenagers admire.
It features successful people endorsing products responsible for their success.

Answer: B
Supporting Statement: A component of advertising relies on the marketer's ability to tap into the brain’s propensity for imitation. Anybody who has watched TV knows advertisements are disproportionately populated with
attractive, successful looking individuals. If we are going to imitate someone, we are more inclined to imitate those who appear to be popular and appealing.
Keywords: imitation, advertisement
Keyword Location: Paragraph 6
Explanation: As per paragraph 6, The ability of the marketer to capitalize on the brain's inclination for imitation is a key element of advertising. Anyone who has seen television knows that advertising frequently features attractive, successful-looking people. If we are going to copy someone, we are more likely to copy people who seem appealing and popular. So, the correct answer is D.

Questions 6-10

Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading Passage ?

In boxes 6-10 on your answer sheet, write

YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

The diamond campaign worked by making a connection in people's minds between diamonds and luxury

Answer: No
Supporting Statement: A diamond is forever. At the time, the approach was unique. Rather than pushing a brand, the objective was to promote diamonds as the symbol of everlasting love. This was achieved by exploiting the
associative nature of the brain: associating neurons! Activated by the concept of' love ' with neurons that encoded the concept of “diamonds. By 1941, diamond sales had increased by 55 %.
Keywords: diamond, associate nature
Keyword Location: Paragraph 1
Explanation: As per paragraph 1, A diamond is unbreakable. The strategy was novel at the time. The goal was to promote diamonds as the emblem of everlasting love rather than promoting a business. This was accomplished by using neurons to create associations, which is a brain function! neurons that recorded the idea of "diamonds" were activated by the idea of "love." So, the correct answer is No.

People are more aware of visual marketing than auditory marketing.

Answer: Not Given
Explanation: There has been no relevant information provided in the paragraphs associated with the question statement. So, the correct answer is Not given.

The campaign advertising diamonds had a positive influence on society.

Answer: Not Given
Explanation: There has been no relevant information provided in the paragraphs associated with the question statement. So, the correct answer is Not given.

There is still some uncertainty about whether animals copy the behavior of the most powerful animals among them.

Answer: Yes
Supporting Statement: Although not all researchers are convinced by the findings, a number of studies indicate that some animals also imitate dominant members of their group.
Keywords: findings, imitate dominate
Keyword Location: Paragraph 7
Explanation: As per paragraph 7, It has been mentioned that numerous studies suggest that certain animals copy dominant members of their group, albeit not all researchers are persuaded by the results. So, the correct answer is Yes.

Consumers make a logical connection between celebrities ' achievements and the products they promote.

Answer: No
Supporting Statement: However, today, sports people appear in advertisements asking the US to buy the laptops or sports drinks that they promote. Rationally, we know these people's success did not depend on these products, so it seems our propensity to purchase products relates more to neural programs that evolved to encourage imitation of those further up the social ladder.
Keywords: advertisements, purchase products.
Keyword Location: Paragraph 8
Explanation: As per paragraph 8, it has been mentioned that athletes feature in commercials urging Americans to purchase the computers or sports drinks they are promoting. Since we rationally understand that these people's success was not a result of their use of these products, it appears that our propensity to buy things is more closely related to neurological patterns that have developed to promote social copying. So, the correct answer is No.

Questions 11-14

Complete each sentence with the correct ending , A - G , below

Write the correct letter, A - G , in boxes 37-40 on your answer sheet.

people imitated behavior that was linked with success .
younger animals of a certain species are more likely to imitate each other.
an animal would imitate another that had higher status .
imitation of popular sports people has occurred for many decades .
products are marketed to potential consumers who are unaware that marketing is occurring .
Animals can develop new habits by observation.
incentives are provided for consumers who behave in a certain way.

The behavior of the monkeys on the island of Koshima showed that

Answer: F
Supporting Statement: What many regard as the first documented examples of cultural learning in primates started with a clever monkey that lived in a colony of Japanese monkeys on the island of Koshima. She began
taking her dirt - covered sweet potatoes to the river to wash them before eating them. Upon seeing this, a few 11 other open - minded monkeys picked up on the idea. Potato washing then spread from monkey to monkey and, over the course of a few years, most monkeys were eating clean potatoes. Humans are clearly not the only animals to engage in imitation and social learning.
Keywords: Koshima, Monkeys
Keyword Location: Paragraph 4
Explanation: As per paragraph 4, a smart monkey who lived in a colony of Japanese monkeys on the island of Koshima is credited with providing what many consider to be the first examples of cultural learning in primates. The practice of cleaning potatoes subsequently passed from monkey to monkey, and within a few years, the majority of them were consuming clean potatoes. There is no doubt that other animals engage in social learning and imitation in addition to humans. So, the correct answer is F.

Primatologist Frans de Waal found that

Answer: C
Supporting Statement: Primatologist Frans de Waal provides anecdotal evidence of preferential imitation among chimpanzees. He noted that in one particular group the dominant male was hurt and was limping as a result. Soon unlikely if a non-dominant male had been injured.
Keywords: Primatologist, dominant
Keyword Location: Paragraph 7
Explanation: As per paragraph 7, Frans de Waal, a primatologist, offers anecdotal proof of chimpanzees preferring to imitate certain behaviors. He observed that the dominant male in one particular group had sustained an injury and was limping as a result. If a non-dominant man had been hurt, it was quite unlikely. So, the correct answer is C.

Dick Fosbury is mentioned in order to show that

Answer: A
Supporting Statement: When athlete Dick Fosbury revolutionized the high jump by jumping over the bar backward in 1968, imitators obviously copied his jumping style, not his brand of sports shoes. It seems our propensity
to purchase products relates more to neural programs that evolved to encourage imitation of those further up the social ladder.
Keywords: jumping style, Dick Fosbury
Keyword Location: Paragraph 8
Explanation: As per paragraph 8, Dick Fosbury, an athlete, revolutionized the high jump by clearing the bar backward in 1968. Imitators definitely adopted his leaping technique, not his line of athletic footwear. It appears that our propensity to buy items has more to do with neural networks that have evolved to promote social hierarchy copying. So, the correct answer is C.

A feature of some modern marketing campaigns is that

Answer: E
Supporting Statement: It is interesting to consider whether other animals exhibit anything analogous to humans ' susceptibility to advertising.
Keywords: humans, susceptibility
Keyword Location: Paragraph 3
Explanation: As per paragraph 3, it has been mentioned that It's interesting to think about if other animals show any traits that are comparable to how susceptible humans are to advertising. So, the correct answer is E.

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