This task is about a policy that businesses nowadays use in their advertising. What is that policy? 

Note that ‘business’ is a broad term covering a variety of economic activities. All companies are businesses, but not all businesses are companies because businesses can take many forms. The common ground is making a profit. I noticed that some IELTS candidates write essays solely about smartphone manufacturers. While we can use such companies as examples and evidence, the task covers a broader range of products. 

Note also the word ‘product.’ Although this word can refer to tangible goods (a laptop) and intangible offerings (education), I have a feeling the task is more focused on tangible products because they can be upgraded (new in some way). 

The phrase, ‘new in some way,’ implies that the task is not about inventing and making a new product. Instead, it is about an upgraded product, meaning that the old product is given new features, designs, or functionalities to better fulfill users' needs. One example is Apple, which annually adds one camera lens to its smartphones. 

This policy is apparently used ‘nowadays,’ meaning it was not a common practice in the past. That is what we learn from the word ‘nowadays.’ This can help us think about products for which this policy is used and why. Obviously, customers still endorse qualities such as longevity, durability, or sturdiness. Who wants to change their refrigerator every year? Typically, upgrades are more common where technological advancements influence the markets. We always want to take higher-resolution pictures or computers that can process data faster. So, product upgrade seems more common in these areas than in, say, the furniture industry. 

There are two questions that we must answer. One is about why businesses today highlight in their advertising that their products are new in some way. Note the verb ‘to emphasize,’ which means to give special importance to something. To answer this question, we can consider that advertising is more advanced today; it is more like the science of emotional and behavioral tendencies. What do advertisers think customers want today? We can also refer to the fact that in today’s world, with a rising number of businesses, competition is far fiercer because products are many in number and similar, so businesses must find a way to differentiate themselves from their competitors and maintain a competitive advantage over them. 

The second question concerns the effect of using this strategy. Is it positive or negative? Considering both sides is a good idea if we have enough general knowledge. We can consider the issue of the garbage crisis and the throwaway culture we are experiencing today. We can also discuss the issue of trust when the upgraded product does not satisfy expectations. As for positive effects, we can write about how this policy can motivate businesses to constantly improve their offerings. 

Now let us consider a few important considerations about writing a good response for this task:

🔵 First, ‘production’ and ‘products’ are not synonyms. The first one is the process of creating goods, but the second one is the result of it. 

🔵 Second, ‘merchandise’ might not be a fitting word for this context, as it is used in retail settings. ‘Goods’ might be a good choice (the ‘s’ is part of the word, not a plural s), although it is often used in the context of economics. ‘Offering’ is another good vocabulary item for this context. We can also use the word ‘innovation,’ which has the same meaning as ‘new in some way.’ 

🔵 Third, ‘rivalry’ and ‘competition’ might seem synonymous, but the second word fits this context better. Rivalry can extend beyond the business world and might be a bit personal (NB: Using it in this context is not wrong).

🔵 Fourth, some IELTS candidates might use ‘ad’ or ‘advert’ in their essays, which is fine, but these words are less formal than the word ‘advertising’ (sense of style). 

🔵 Fifth, some IELTS candidates use ‘firm’ as a synonym for ‘company,’ which is fine, but these words are somewhat different. Firm (especially in British English) sometimes refers to service providers, such as law firms or accounting firms. 

I hope you have found this helpful.