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Consumer PoliticsMIT3214

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Consumer Politics Consumer Boycotts

colonial-era boycotts British/vs. homespun

California Grapes Civil Rights

Women as Politicized Consumers boycotts consumer groups

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Moderate ConsumeristsCanadian Association of

Consumers

Middle-class female

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Canadian Association of Consumers1. http://www.consumer.ca/2. Declining importance3. Victim of Own Success4. General Public Interest

Advocacy vs. Constituency Group advocacy

5. Dairy Farmers of CDA vs. consumer general interest (cheaper milk)

6. ‘Free-rider’ problem

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Radical Consumerists Social Progressivism

during 1960s Ralph Nader (Unsafe

at Any Speed) Center for the Study of

Responsive Law Critique of capitalism Today: Center for

Science in the Public Interest

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Radical Consumerists Producers more powerful

than consumers Broad social action to level

playing field Consumer Action for equity,

fairness, ‘rights’ Situate consumer issues in

broader ‘citizen’ problems (pollution, poor working conditions)

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Consumption as Politics1. Environmental

Damage2. Cultural/Social

Damage

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Origins of Culture Jamming1. Ballyhoo Magazine

(1930s)2. Mad Magazine, 1952-3. Negativland (1970s/80s)

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Culture Jamming Adbusting, subvertising Re-configure ad meanings

for social ends “semiotic Robin Hoodism” Turn Madison Ave aesthetics

against itself N. Klein’s “No Logo”

Culture Jamming (Carducci) Expressivism authenticity, the

natural, truthful Rousseau origins of 18th

c./Romanticism of 19thc reject instrumental

rationality, scientific objectivism of enlightenment

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Media Foundation Adbusters Magazine ad spoofs: “Hitler Wore

Khakis” Pollution of mental

environment TV ‘uncommercials’ “Buy Nothing Day”; “TV

Turn-off Week”

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Critiques of Culture Jamming/ Adbusters1. Puritanical/Patronizing2. Commercializing anti-

consumerism?3. Ethical Consumption as

Market Segment4. Blackspot sneaker

1. Reader: “It’s advertised in Adbusters, what am I supposed to make of that.”

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Culture Jamming as Consumer Avant-garde rejuvenate consumerism

which purports to transcend form of social marketing countercultural ideology fuels

consumerism (more than conformity) cultural rebellion not threat to

system; it is the system extend marketing to peripheral,

“alienated” citizens/consumers “The Rebel Sell” (Heath/Potter)

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Homegrown Culture Jamming Dove Campaign for Real

Beauty Dove Evolution

6.3 mil YouTube views Dove Onslaught

1.3mil views Unilever/Axe Parody

(Clifton) 117,000 views

CJ as “technique” for oppositional art