subvertising

Subvertise | 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.

Does Subvertising Really Work?

While the motivation behind subvertising is clear, the impact this advertising (of sorts) has on the consumer is a little less obvious. While a consumer may see the ways in which they have been duped, what does this bring into the conversation about consumerism? It seems that just the presence of subvertising is enough to create a stir and to begin a conversation about capitalism and its effects on the world.

It’s true that many may see subvertising as an anarchistic way of attacking marketing and advertising, but in another way, it does bring up some good points. Why are consumers so drawn to the idea of images and to an emotional connection with the things we buy? Why can’t we simply buy things because we need them, rather than buying things because we feel we should, because we feel like they will make us better people?

Advertising plays on the most basic emotion of wanting to feel like a part of a group. But once we begin to dismiss this idea, we can begin to see that advertising today is nothing more than a trick. While slick marketing campaigns may not go away, they can certainly be questioned, mocked, and presented as pieces to be criticized instead of immediately accepted.

Ways to Create a Subvertising Campaign

Many people find that creating their own subvertising campaign will not only get them noticed, but it can begin to create a conversation about marketing and consumerism. There are a number of ways in which to start a campaign to subvertise: banners, cheap signs, license plates, political signs, real estate signs, and other street signs. Find a marketing campaign that is already popular in the market, then change it slightly to promote the message you want to promote.

You don’t have to be an artist to accomplish a strong subvertising campaign. With computer picture manipulation tools, you can adjust any image to create a new form of an old design.

By creating a sign that emulates a popular advertisement, it will not only get noticed, but it will begin to create the realization that maybe we are too dependent on marketing to tell us what to think. Try adding a few yard signs and vinyl banners to your community in order to see what happens. While subvertising may be subtle in its design, its impact is not.