Subvertising
Subvertising can take the form of a new
image, or an alteration to an existing image. A subvertisement can also
be referred to as meme hack and can be a part of social hacking or culture
jamming.
According to AdBusters, a Canadian magazine and a leading proponent
of counter-culture and subvertising, "A well produced 'subvert' mimics
the look and feel of the targeted ad, promoting the classic 'double-take'
as viewers suddenly realize they have been duped. Subverts create cognitive
dissonance. It cuts through the hype and glitz of our mediated reality
and, momentarily, reveals a deeper truth within."
The word subvertising is
a portmanteau of the words "subvert" and "advertising". Thus, the primary
goal of subvertisements, more commonly referred to as subverts, is often
to sabotage political candidates and campaigns, corporations, and other
targets.
ExxonMobil logo subverted by GreenpeaceLiberal and radical viewpoints
tend to dominate subvertising, as one of the ideas behind the concept
is to incite change by presenting easily recognizable and understandable
images that can be shocking and even disturbing in their frankness.
However, some people believe
that subverts that are mockingly reminiscent of corporate or political
symbols are simply giving those symbols undue publicity. People in this
school of thought often argue that subverts serve no real purpose, and
that, by bringing those icons forward in the public consciousness, subvertising
in fact ends up supporting that which it was trying to destroy.
Less commonly , subvertisements are used by conservatives. For example
during the U.S. presidential election of 2000, the Republicans made
signs Sore Loserman, for the Democratic party's candidates Gore/Lieberman,
to express the uncertainty of election results.
AdBusters corporate flagAccording
to subvertise.org:
Subvertising is the Art of Cultural resistance. It is the 'writing on
the wall', the sticker on the lamppost, the corrected rewording of billboards,
the spoof T-shirt; but it is also the mass act of defiance of a street
party. The key process involves redefining or even reclaiming our environment
from the corporate beast.
Subvertising is sometimes also used by political campaigners in order
to slander their opponents or reach the minds of the public to gain
support.
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