Adbusters is the perfect magazine for people
who want to rebel against the pervasive zombification of independent
thought by the global corporate hegemony ... and for people who want
to look cool by claiming to do so.
I started learning about this fringe culture with the
great book No Logo, which details the legal and moral crimes perpetrated
by huge corporations. Designers seem to be leading the protests and actions
against McWorld, which makes the magazine accessible to me as an artist.
And I really enjoy reading Adbusters, but you have to take it
with a grain of salt. They argue that you shouldn't do whatever the corporations
want just to follow a brand or look cool, but in a way Adbusters itself
becomes a brand that makes you look cool.
I'm a strong believer that in order for change to come
about, you have to overcome the ignorance of the majority of the people,
and Adbusters is too snobby and inaccessible to do that. While
I applaud some of their motives, and you have to start somewhere, spray-painting
billboards and buying organic food is not going to change
the world. As a showcase of "busted" ads, the magazine is creative but
ineffectual in its cause. As a forum for better ideas, it has potential.
If only it wasn't so elitist and inaccessible.
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