#cover p-a-ponkan-advertising-anarchy-en-12.png
#title Advertising Anarchy
#author Ponkan
#SORTauthors Ponkan
#SORTtopics art, praxis, propaganda, how to
#date June 2020
#uid Advertising Anarchy
#source Retrieved on 2021-01-11 from [[http://bandilangitim.noblogs.org/2020/06/02/advertising-anarchy/]]
#lang en
#pubdate 2021-01-11T13:05:23
#language English
#publication Bandilang Itim
#teaser Reaching out to people, particularly people or groups whom you want to help to self-organize (or at least, goad them to doing it), requires that sort of communication. Becoming effective in it tends to require well, communication skills. It’s not a requirement to be a “good anarchist” (because a, there’s none in the first place, and b, why), but it would certainly get you far. It gets people going. It inspires people.
Throughout history Anarchism and Anarchies have long been known to
appear and explode as vibrant as it is sporadic. At its most practical,
it has been long defined by bursts of activity and small,
[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolutionary_Catalonia][however]]
[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_to_Defend][self-professing]] or
[[https://usbong.noblogs.org/post/2020/05/18/being-forced-to-do-anything-with-anyone/][simply
resemblant it is]].
Most of this intermittent yet persistent attitude is
brought by the movement’s preference for solutions-based activity over
theory. If there is any, its most seminal ones do not play around its
own philosophy–it is unfettered and blunt aside from some bents towards
propagandistic and erudite language. Why wait, nay–prepare for the
coming upheaval when you can make liberation happen yourself? *Direct
action!*
Today, the bulk of this action rests much on mutual aid
activity (which is, of course, much needed especially now, support them
at all costs!). However, the more ambitious or holistic ones, were the
ones who are actively establishing anarchies–that is, spaces in
which liberty can be experienced and upheld. When we speak of such *an*
anarchy, “spaces” do not simply talk of territories or systems, but
rather, of *social relations*, of *situations*. It doesn’t have a set
criteria other than the intent of eschewing practices and institutions
that uphold privilege and oppression. At its largest, perhaps it’s a
network of solidarity.
These anarchies persist in places outside the
purview of the state’s legibility. “Cracks in the pavement” so to speak.
When we talk of building these anarchies, we talk about people. Its
growth could lever these cracks wider, if ever–“by doing so we are
unlikely to destroy the concrete utterly but we can open up more spaces
in which to grow together.” (*Desert*, Anonymous) For people who are
interested or are actively working towards it, communication becomes a
key factor into it. For anarchists within my personal circle, most of
them treat it as a very personal affair, between them and others. “All
politics is personal.”
Reaching out to people, particularly people or
groups whom you want to help to self-organize (or at least, goad them to
doing it), requires that sort of communication. Becoming effective in it
tends to require well, communication skills. It’s not a requirement to
be a “good anarchist” (because a, there’s none in the first place, and
b, why), but it would certainly get you far. It gets people going. It
inspires people.
With that in mind, why not we make *communications*
itself a clear branch of praxis?
*** Why Advertising? (or Propaganda, whatever)
Perhaps it’s a misnomer–and perhaps, a poor choice of words–to be
referring to the tactics of communications and propaganda as
“advertising,” especially, for most anarchists, for its associations
with Capitalism. Hell, even market anarchists would *seethe* at the very
industry that perpetuates the purgatory of consumerism. These days term
“propaganda” might as well serve the same purpose, though for the
purposes of our thing, let’s stick with “advertising.” Bear with me.
[[p-a-ponkan-advertising-anarchy-en-1.jpg f][But here’s a fun little fact: they aren’t, too!]]
Advertising as
a practice sets itself apart for targeting their audiences and their
mediums. Turn on the TV. Open a periodical. Turn off your adblock. Look
outside and see the vast diversity of saccharine ads and billboards and
posters and commercials you see outside. You’ll notice that some would
appeal to your personal tastes or inconveniences, and some wont relate
at all. (“Are you TIRED of washing the dishes? *Try Kitchen Gun!”*)
You’ll perhaps see the differences between the poster, newspaper ad,
commercial or the billboard saying and selling the same thing. For
example: Billboards have sparser text and more striking imagery. And
when it gets smaller and smaller to the human scale, like the newspaper
ad, there comes more room to dish out as much information as possible
granted that you’d still understand the point they’re getting across.
And sometimes, one of those messages may as well answer a problem you’ve
been having, or a new thing you’d buy frequently. Advertising appeals to
the *personal,* however impersonal it is. Modern advertising relies on
*experiences* rather than the *product* itself. Due to its targeted
nature, advertising relies on “mythologies” and associations surrounding
objects and products that which relates to the present reality of its
audience. A can of pasta sauce surrounded put a pile of basil and
garlic, uncooked spaghetti, some cheese, loaves of country bread and a
bunch of other italian ingredients on a wooden table with warm lighting,
and suddenly, a can of sauce becomes “*Mamma mia!* An authentic
Italian-a sauce-a!”
Propaganda/advertising employed by the present
system is a top-down process. It ends to build around itself a curated
reality which in turn influences particular tastes and particular
opinions. On one hand, public communications have the ability to
transfer and amplify culture to a wider audience (which, at our present
internet age, is pretty much moot with more grassroots distribution of
info, ie. memes, being more prevalent). On the other, the information it
presents may as well poison the well on our social
possibilities–messages distributed top-down promoting or wrapped around
the state’s prevailing ideology may as well color the world(view) of the
uninformed citizen, however mileage may vary.
So looking back, how do we
create an alternative to this situation, and also, is there a place for
wholeheartedly using the master’s tools of manipulation against them?
**** Combating narratives
We have lived in a world colored by messages of bias and propaganda.
Tinted and rose-colored, propaganda goes beyond posters and
slogans–propaganda constitutes all modes of communication to build a
*narrative*. They evoke or allude to experiences, both positive and
negative, in order for you, the audience to align to it. Propaganda
posters outside of radical politics and election campaigns are a dead
art; the State doesn’t need to do it, the media’s already doing the
dirty work! Modern propaganda is now a subtle array of public relations
strategies aiming to use communication to work around the complexities
of society.
[[p-a-ponkan-advertising-anarchy-en-2.jpg f][Want to discredit socialism? Just namedrop Venezuela. It’s bullshit, but it works.]]
In particular, the Father of Public Relations,
Edward Bernays, states in his book *Propaganda* how necessary
communications strategies are in not only with influencing public
opinion, but on top of that, maintaining the prevailing socio-political
order in the long run:
“The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and
opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society.
Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an
invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. We
are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas
suggested, largely by men we have never heard of.”
Narratives can be spouted from various means, and when it’s an its most
insidious, it is subtle. Take for example
[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SB2-4F758Yo][Marxist economist Richard
Wolff talking on Fox News]]. If you’re already politically radical and
well-read about leftist discourse, Mr. Wolff’s takes would come off
pretty tame, the safest possible, “liberal,” even. But what’s
interesting in here is the interviewer. The tone is particularly
patronizing, and starts and ends with loaded language against socialism
in general. The questions play into what people think socialism *is*,
not necessarily with The language is also particularly to note:
“proletarian revolution,” “collectivist road,” and the cherry on top,
“right after this, we’re going to talk about Venezuela, the collapse of
socialism.” Wolff’s ideas aren’t the intended subject here–the
interviewer has complete control over the discussion. Such choice
language is meant for the audience. Whatever Wolff said stopped
mattering the moment Venezuela was namedropped. Socialism
= bad.
You’d see this sort of coverage (or the
intentional lack thereof) on things discussing radical political
movements. Media blackouts on massive general strikes in France. Willful
“both-sides” proclamations by liberals and moderate conservatives over
political violence. Painting Antifa as a centralized party boogeyman.
What kinds of words are said, what kinds of imagery are portrayed, and
what details are left out in events paint narratives and worldviews to
the common man in order to further a top-down agenda. Commercial
advertising and PR participates in this circus by perpetuating, muting
or amplifying particular social behaviors as a consequence of strategies
based on the current trend–in particular, using
[[https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/memelords-brands-ka5sh-sxsw/][internet
culture]],
[[https://www.forbes.com/sites/dawnstaceyennis/2019/06/24/dont-let-that-rainbow-logo-fool-you-these-corporations-donated-millions-to-anti-gay-politicians/#1a8a56414a68][progressive
values]] and
[[https://sparkflow.co/pepsis-protest-ad-kendall-jenner-marketing-fail/][social
movements]] as a brand-loyalty tool.
[[p-a-ponkan-advertising-anarchy-en-4.jpg f][This doesn’t absolve you of that
stupid commercial, you
tomato-slaving
baconator fuck.]]
The primary role thus, of any sort of
anarchist propaganda strategy, is combating narratives.
“Counter-propaganda.” Posters calling out nazis, calling for action, or
calling for action against nazis are half the battle. It is also
imperative for us, as anarchists in general, to counter and combat
the monopoly on narratives. The basis is twofold:
1. **Encouraging a libertarian culture of initiative towards building
networks of solidarity.** Communicating anarchist or
anarchistic causes should offer to its audiences a new kind of “way
out” from the present situation, while at the same time convincing
people of their own capability to enact such change through radical
means. Since this is a personal and also a somewhat “passive”
approach, such counter-propaganda is a branch of actual
organizing/solidarity work. Most likely you, the
budding propagandist, would be the one doing the “building networks”
part yourself anyway. Such “culture of initiative,” especially one
that is grounded on affinity, forms a stronger foundation within
one’s networks due to a vested interest to a particular common goal,
whatever it is. (I mean, it’s called an affinity group, cmon). This
opens possibilities for a normalization of a “libertarian/solidarity
culture” within the immediate area of necessity, which is an
important factor
in prefigurative
politics, making positive changes happen by
ourselves.
2. **Forming a stalwart against reactionary and fascistic values.**
Fascism and the conservatism that sympathizes with it is *obsessed*
with aesthetics and appearances. The Right can and would utilize
their own tactics of manipulation, harassment and intimidation in
order to normalize or mitigate the stigma of their values in the
common discourse. In this regard, such strategies should not only
seek building a culture of resistance within your networks (and
perhaps also to those outside, where alliances between other
invested groups could be forged), but also seek to tear down the
image of “strength” that revolve around reactionaries. This “active”
approach intends to build trust outside the group who views
anarchies with suspicion, and a necessary cultivation of a
(libertarian) culture of resistance in such immediate area of
necessity matters in the
[[https://anarchyrain.tech.blog/2019/08/14/navigating-the-culture-wars/][culture
war]]. In this regard, effective optics is effectively anti-fascist.
Challenging the monopoly of narrative and reorienting the discourse
through a ground-up, counter-propaganda initiative could perhaps, as
stated earlier, allow for expanding opportunities, the “levering of the
cracks” if you will. However, such an endeavor can be only
effective if there is on-the-ground action towards liberatory goals
(mutual aid, resistance, what-have-you). People will respond more to a
message which delivers upon their material reality–you can’t advertise
without a product.
**** Offering alternatives, information/education
Commercial advertising would sometimes tend for
informational/educational elements in their campaigns towards a product
or an advocacy (perhaps tied to or related to that product). Meanwhile,
public relations would utilize similar strategies, sometimes
promoting/encouraging positive behaviors on their audiences in order to
foster reputations of their clients (see also:
[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_social_responsibility][Corporate
Social Responsibility]]).
Public service announcements, CSR-based
information campaigns,
[[http://www.americantable.org/2012/07/how-bacon-and-eggs-became-the-american-breakfast/][getting
people to eat bacon for breakfast]], understanding these aspects
of public communications is just as valuable as its very
persuasive ones.
[[p-a-ponkan-advertising-anarchy-en-5.jpg f][If I weren’t anarchist already, this would’ve turned me off.]]
Much of the bad rap against radical groups is grounded on misinformation
and framing on top of the governing narrative. It is worse for those
who’s actually gained quite the notorious reputation (“terrorist!!!”).
And despite some groups insisting otherwise (“we just wanna help
people!”), simply insisting for a change of opinion wouldn’t change the
fact that people wouldn’t trust you because of your political
allegiances (“fuckin’ libtard/commie/what have you”). Education and
information involves directly communicating with those who are in the
vicinity to be misinformed.
Horizontal and grassroots information-sharing has been a
long-established hallmark of radical or anti-authoritarian praxis. Most
of this information is
practical
and immediate in nature:
[[https://www.newstatesman.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/hk_image_c.jpg?itok=kf6ogcbn][tactics]],
[[URL:https://www.brietleylondon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2.jpg][advocacies]],
[[https://industrialworker.org/the-illustrated-covid-19-guide-for-industrial-unions/][safety]],
and
[[URL:https://cloudfront.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2018/03/26/solidarity-with-the-tortured-anarchists-and-anti-fascists-in-russia-poster-3.jpg][news]]
(note that I didn’t specifically say “anarchist” in this regard).
This is a
similar case in already-existing advertising, though for the most part,
it is insular and very much intended for internal use (ie. only within
networks).
If you are one to “lever the cracks,” an external-based approach to
dissemination would definitely be essential. Putting out one’s stances
and goals could help give people understanding of one’s initiative,
though simply putting it out on a zine, or said in terms that can only
be understood within the context of your radical circles/networks,
basically renders it your efforts towards forming relationships with
your “public” moot. Communists (particularly Maoist-types) would be
hard-pressed about this idea (*learn from the masses!*). However, their
main disadvantage is that such messaging supposed to connect to their
intended audiences are construed in a very broad, restricted and gaudy
manner–a style that would be satirized by
[[http://thepeoplescube.org][The People’s Cube]] to shit on anyone to
the left of them.
A strategy meant to inform and teach relevant stuff to
prospective audiences through counter-propaganda strategy is a
particular matter. Maintaining a perspective based on advertising (that
is, targeted messaging) thus would be ideal, particularly when engaging
with non-anarchist or generally non-political groups, whoever they are.
*** For a new strategy of Anarchist propaganda
So what is this “Advertising Perspective”?
We have established early on
that Advertising is particular about *who* they target and from *where*.
Recognizing that, anarchistic strategies of advertising involves itself
in such a process while intended towards liberatory goals. This means an
understanding of how messages can affect people must be taken note of,
from how they think, how they view things, and how they view their
present situation.
However, as I’ve said before, both actual praxis and
communications go hand in hand. What we do and what we say overlap more
than what we’d expect. Actually establishing spaces, doing mutual
aid and all
other sorts of direct action, and calling for a
libertarian alternative might as well be the same thing. All politics is
personal, so you really need to put your money where your mouth
is.
So how would we go about this?
**** Purposes and the Target Audience
Who are you talking to? Why do you choose talking to them? Groups and
individuals gain worldviews and motivations through their varied
personal experiences. Through these experiences people tend to judge the
world around them, messages and politics in particular. Before you do
anything, pick your battles.
[[p-a-ponkan-advertising-anarchy-en-6.jpg f]]
Just as in commercial advertising, it is
hard to be very broad in your ideas (unless you’re going for the lowest
hanging fruit like, saving the turtles or some shit). This applies to
praxis and solidarity-building in general–are you going to talk with
friends? Friends of friends? People in the same predicament such as you?
Do you intend to appeal to a particular people?
Messages must relate to
what your audiences are going through. Speak their language. Put
everything in context and try to empathize with the situations of your
audience–people have a problem that your product could solve. Simply
positing a way out (“Another world is possible!”) is alienating if
they’re concerned with survival from their present situation.
Empathizing on the conditions people are in and their general concerns
not only gives you a better understanding of who these people are, it
opens doors on forming cordial relationships with them and perhaps
finding a way to empower them towards their own liberation.
**** Medium is the Message
A graffiti sprayed on a broken Starbucks window and a sleek-looking
poster plastered on a public wall that basically says the same thing
still gives off different impressions.
According to Marshall McLuhan,
the kind of channels in which we send our message matters more than the
content it is in, especially since it determines the ways in which we
could express it. Remember how specific ads of the same product are laid
out differently in each medium (billboard, commercial, newspaper)?
Billboards are meant to be seen by people driving on fast speeds, that’s
why it’s big, striking and minimal. People reading magazines or
newspapers have more time to parse through the ad, hence having more
stuff. Commercials, which are not print-based media, are
performance-based, and interrupts whatever you are watching. So it will
do its best to grab and hold of your attention about it.
[[p-a-ponkan-advertising-anarchy-en-7.jpg f][Six cans, not one less.]]
The medium might determine the
possible ways you can express your message, but “medium” also makes up
the manner in which you express it. As Penn Jilette said in an
immortalized meme; “[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBO8c7v7guI][the
context in which the words were spoken give them the power of
meaning.]]”
Our reality is bound on the complicated mishmash of words,
ideas, experiences, symbols–aka *language*–that call back to one
another. This is where the idea of “mythologies” come from–the steak is
a steak because of its crust, its sizzle, and its flavor, not
necessarily because of it being
“[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steak][a meat generally sliced across
the muscle fibers]].” A steak could probably mean either fine dining or
a rugged, macho lifestyle. The way these meanings and ideas reflect one
another is also important when you’re determining the aesthetics and the
symbols you’re rallying under.
This is why arguments over whether the
hammer and sickle should be used by anarchist communists exist–on one
many people view it as a shorthand for communism (basically flouting
one’s tendency–“it’s ok, we mashed it together with the circle-a, it’s
all good”), but people who are aware of its history and even some who
have close experiences with authoritarian communist regimes or conflicts
would
[[URL:https://pics.me.me/yankee-swastika-tankie-swastika-yankie-swastika-tankie-swastika-43532193.png][place
it in the same level with the Nazi swastika.]]
This is why understanding
who your target audience is and empathizing with their experiences
matter. Speaking in their language and referring to symbols that they
can understand and relate to gives for a more effective message than
simply putting up a banner smacking a bunch of slogans on a wall without
any recourse.
**** Unequivocality and consistency
Being unequivocal means saying what you mean, or meaning what you said.
Don’t leave room for interpretation that would allow authoritarians to
hijack your message. If you’re gonna be anarchist, talk anarchist. All
the way through. Vaguely radical language wouldn’t get you far. You
could be diplomatic or informational about it, but the message should be
consistent in its anarchist values. Authoritarians don’t necessarily
have this handicap because they could just say whatever shit they want
and get away with it. Anarchists don’t have that luxury, because our
praxis and politics isn’t grounded on “seizing power.” As with
commercial advertising, any sort of hiccup or inconsistency, or
tone-deafness in your messages would destroy your strategy the moment it
gets heard.
If you want people to take action for themselves, then make
your message so that they would indeed take action for themselves (see:
Case Study – Crimethinc). Starting with an “wow
oppression/capitalism/the state is a thing everywhere and its bad,” or
playing up the “menace of capitalism” would just be a downer. This is
what happened to “climate change alarmism” and the general language of
online spaces constantly barraging about the (understandably real)
threat of fascism. Being surrounded by ominous, negative messages have
demotivated and demoralized a lot of activists and woke individuals in
the long run. It could lead to general inaction on dealing with the
existing problem or worse, they could just cling on to some
vanguard/electoralist moment like barnacles on a ship.
You could say The
Man can go fuck himself ad infinitum, but it doesn’t hurt to be *not*
confrontational every once in a while. Expressing messages grounded on
theory shouldn’t have contradict itself–you will leave people asking
more questions and you’ll attract more mockery for what’s basically a
“hot take” in the information space. Consistency is a safety mechanism.
**** Legibility, Simplicity
Speaking their language means doing away with jargon. Having to explain
in roundabout ways of the “alternative” just takes up the mental labor
of both you and your audience. If you can’t explain it simply, you
really don’t understand it well enough. Because, for the most part,
people don’t really care about what you have to say. Grabbing the
attention of people and giving them the gist in one take are two of the
prime concerns of not only advertising, but on communications as a
whole. It’s the propagandist’s job to distill theory into a digestible
and relatable message
Effective advertising works because of its
simplicity. *Showing without telling*. Commercial advertisers think
about what to show and what to tell on their messages right at the
drawing board, and that has become a factor in their successes.
We have
talked earlier about how communications utilize associations, cultural
context, symbols and “mythologies” of things in order to create a clear
but striking message. This allows for subtlety to add more meat to your
message while maintaining a concise and straightforward idea. This is
why understanding the experiences and concerns of your target audience
is important. “Black Lives Matter,” “We are the 99%,” “Five Demands, Not
One Less!,” “No Justice, No Peace,” these are all slogans/taglines that
capture the context of their respective struggles, which gives powerful
meaning behind it. Clarity, simplicity, and context go hand in hand.
Keep it simple. It’s important to know when you need to be subtle.
**** Avenues of expression
There are a lot of possible ways you could go about sending a message,
and it will depend on your situation, the present context, your
intentions and your resources. One of the biggest things that set the
propagandist to the advertiser is that what we do is a form of direct
action meant to amplify and augment our respective causes, and that our
methods are based on making more with less, and that since we don’t need
the approval of formality on which channels we should express, we have
an endless array of mediums at our disposal, so long as we have the will
and the way.
For starters, we must classify the kinds of messages that
fall within the range of counter-propaganda, *active* and *passive*.
These things overlap into each other especially on times of massive
social change.
- ***Active*** propaganda is basically one in which engages with the
audience directly and sometimes put forth in the context of conflict.
Active propaganda may build bridges, reach out for solidarity, call
to action, intimidate opponents and/or defy authority. Its goal is to
augment on-the-ground action, be it resistance, direct action, or
organizing.
- ***Passive*** propaganda concerns itself more with sharing ideas and
necessary information, from tactics, to theory or to current events
(sometimes related to active propaganda especially on times of major
social instability). Passive propaganda tends to coincide with
alternative media due to its similar purpose. Compared to alt media,
however, passive propaganda is inclined to be used on more practical
and educational purposes. How to create things, how to plant things,
what to do in a particular situation.
The spread and rise of the Internet has proved to be a valuable resource
for grassroots organizing and making then-unknown struggles to be known
and learned from. It has allowed collectives and individuals around the
world to share information and tactics in solidarity never seen before.
This is where we have thrived as ourselves, among ourselves. However,
novice radicals and younger creatives inspired enough to enact to
partake in these sorts of things must note of the mediums already
existing in your physical spaces. Posters, graffiti, art, video, live
broadcasting, banners, all of this serve to amplify our purposes. This
is especially true in massive protests and
riots–“riots gives you attention, propaganda
give your actions meaning.”
[[p-a-ponkan-advertising-anarchy-en-8.jpg f]]
Following the earlier principles of the strategy, it’s imperative that
the messages reach the audience. If you are talking to some, go small.
If you are talking to many, go big. All mediums are available to us, but
*attention* is key. If necessary, *hook* them in. Of course, what use is
a voice if it can’t be heard?
Messages may flow and influence the
prospects of the future. This is why authoritarians also bring their own
propaganda. Thus, in such situations, it becomes a war of symbols waged
on the streets. Like in most things, their work could be an avenue of
expression, a new medium. Either hijack it or replace it. In this end,
it’s important to be careful in doing so; there will be occasions where
they would use the act of removal against you, like fascist posters and
stickers with razors hidden underneath. Your tools should include those
that *remove* as you have those that *create*.
Lastly, always consider
hazards. You yourselves will be the ones planning, creating and rolling
out the messages. If you will go out of your way to express in somewhere
life-threatening, observe caution on your surroundings.
**** Challenges
Propaganda is simply one of many tactics that Anarchists could employ
within their own praxis. A secondary tool to your intentions, perhaps,
but a tool nonetheless.
There is the issue of the current media and
information environment–retention times for advertisements (especially
by a populace getting very tired of the same corporate messages over and
over again) are noted by some advertising and communications experts to
have been lowering over time. Propagandists must note prevailing trends
and development of particular ideas especially in our online/post-truth
era. Keeping up and staying ahead of government and corporate
institutions would be a major hurdle for small time groups, especially
as particular concepts and ideas could transform and recontextualized,
as is the case in meme culture.
This would also tie to the issue of
optics. Public relations is a tricky subject especially for groups whose
main object is conflict (see: the trend of communist insurgency groups
being universally unliked by the public outside of the ideologically
sympathetic). The recontextualization of ideas could prove detrimental
to your possible routes (ex. Pepe the Frog > Groyper). External factors
could affect the prospects of your message.
The propagandist is
immediately outnumbered by the massive resources and scope of state and
corporate media. The news spreads quickly and the loudest gets heard
first. One must be creative and organized enough to pull off something
as comprehensive as the propaganda they chatter, and if one’s lucky,
even hijack their messages for your own.
And that last point is
important–coordinate with people. Advertisers plan as a team. There are
good approaches, but there could be far better ones, and other opinions
could help reach those points. You could act alone, but whatever comes
out of it might not be as optimal as intended. Coordination and numbers
is key–pooling together collective knowledge and resources yield
results.
In other words, if you want to be loud, be many.
*** ADDENDUM: A case study of CrimethInc.
The
CrimethInc. Ex-Workers’ Collective is perhaps the closest anarchist
organization to have mastered the art of applying advertising principles
in their propaganda and informative works. Having roots in the American
anarcho-punk scene in the 90’s, CrimethInc would later be known for
popularizing the Post-Leftist tendency,
[[https://crimethinc.com/1997/04/11/your-politics-are-boring-as-fuck][seeking
out a truly anarchist alternative to traditional leftist politics which
they view as restrictive and un-anarchistic]]. They have articulated
these values in their writings, graphic works and how they portray the
values of militant joy and grounding our politics solely in our present
reality.
[[p-a-ponkan-advertising-anarchy-en-9.jpg f]]
In particular, their document (or perhaps it could be safely
called a manifesto), *[[https://crimethinc.com/tce][To Change
Everything]],* is a concise and very empowering introduction to
anarchism. (it’s a good read btw). I want to focus however on the way
the book is written and structured. It’s not simply an explanation of
anarchism–no, it only mentions the word “anarchism” by the very end.
Most of it is taking you on a journey that rests on these three themes:
- You have the power to be the change yourself
- The present situation is the problem.
- That power can free ourselves from the present situation.
[[p-a-ponkan-advertising-anarchy-en-11.jpg f]]
It doesn’t befall upon the reader the burden of knowing what anarchism
is or *why* should you be one. It converses with you than talk over you;
which is something I kind of find iffy with the lot of introductions to
anarchism, like Geiderloos’
*[[https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/peter-gelderloos-anarchy-works/][Anarchy
Works!]]* and Graeber’s
*[[https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/david-graeber-are-you-an-anarchist-the-answer-may-surprise-you][Are
You An Anarchist?]]* which comes off very combative and outright about
it. In comparison, *To Change Everything* eases you in to the
possibility that “yeah, maybe anarchy is the right way to go at this!”
Because people are turned off by what they see as “going too far” or
“fomenting chaos,” CrimethInc instead opts for tapping into the concerns
and values of their audience. Articulate desire.
On the other hand, their posters would be perhaps the most consistent to
their values and the most “advertising”-based compared to the rest. The
only issue I have with them, however, is the misuse of mediums–some of
their posters would be overly wordy as if its meant for a magazine. Not
much in the way of grabbing attention, if it’s the intended goal.
While
granted, articulating one’s philosophy unequivocally and concisely,
while keeping it relevant in simple is not an easy task, for me it
doesn’t take into account that such posters seem better as flyers.
Compare it however, to their more minimal work:
[[p-a-ponkan-advertising-anarchy-en-10.jpg f]]
This is much more applicable since for the most part, it doesn’t bombard
you with paragraphs and are much more focused on telling you why it’s
wrong in the simplest manner possible. And the manner in which it reads
comes from a very admirable idealism which taps into the sentiments of
its intended audience, that borders mean division and war–but the
alternative is unity and peace. And *you* can make it happen.
These
sorts of sensibilities surrounding CrimethInc’s work is the reason why
they are noteworthy. They don’t dilly-dally around ideology, they let
the philosophy talk through their work, grounding themselves in the
problem and propose an immediate and (perhaps) workable solution.
Educating and emboldening people not by political discussion but by
showing, not telling, and relating themselves to the experiences of the
real world and the sentiments of their audiences. Communication fails
when it’s scant, but it also fails when it’s overwrought.
CrimethInc. is
not a perfect model for this “advertising-propaganda” model, but it’s a
step in the right direction.
You can find all of their posters and more
on their [[https://crimethinc.com/tools][website]].