Culture jamming is described as taking an established brand and using its corporate identity to promote a different message, for instance a McDonald’s sign – changing what is says – it could be over the top of an existing piece of advertising or it be in place of that advertising. The point of culture jamming is to use the big brands to get the world and its people to think about the mess that the world is in.I am unsure as to how ethical the design industry actually is, how far people are willing to go and whether the current economic crisis has resulted in designers loosing that last piece of their soul to capitalist consumerism?
But culture jamming is different it is part of the big wide world of design activism, it embraces the established brands, knowing that they are held in high esteem across the globe, but they use this influential brand to create opinions and questions in the minds of people that would not usually think twice about purchasing a product.
Here are some examples of culture jamming:
Fantastic book on culture jamming find it here on amazon:
Called Culture Jam – How to reverse Americas suicidal consumer binge – and why we must by Kalle Lasn