Blog #7--Culture Jamming

    All of the readings about culture jamming I found very entertaining and enjoyable. I did not realize that a group existed out there whose sole purpose was to create ads that go against the ideology of ads in general. Culture jamming is providing some way, in this case ads, to allow the public to briefly snap out of this modern world of advertising and be able to see clearly without the shroud of consumerism. Culture jamming nowadays has a few forms of communication. The most prevalent are billboards, television ads, and especially in this age memes.
    Culture jamming is a good tool for activism, because the ones who are doing the jamming have the backup of the First Amendment on their side. The ones who are culture jamming believe that they have the right to use the airways if they have money. The television stations, however have become a big obstacle for them. Culture jamming itself is an effective way to get a point across because rather than lecture, it takes a well known and familiar ad concept and sort of puts a real-world spin on it. A good example would be of the classic "Joe Camel" from Camel brand cigarettes. A culture jamming spin was taken and featured a bedridden camel in hospital gown hooked up to an IV and dubbed "Joe Chemo."
    Until media outlets will be willing or forced to allow these ads to be aired more often, Americans unfortunately might be further embedded in a consumerist lifestyle.