CCT300 – Critical Analysis of MediaNovember 4, 2010

CCT300 – Labs

Culture Jamming

Week 9

Cultural Jamming?

““A term I have popularized by articles in The New York A term I have popularized by articles in The New York Times and Adbusters, might best be defined as media Times and Adbusters, might best be defined as media hacking, information warfare, terror-art, and guerrilla hacking, information warfare, terror-art, and guerrilla semiotics, all in one. Billboard bandits, pirate TV and semiotics, all in one. Billboard bandits, pirate TV and radio broadcasters, media hoaxers, and other vernacular radio broadcasters, media hoaxers, and other vernacular media wrenchers who intrude on the intruders, investing media wrenchers who intrude on the intruders, investing ads, newscasts, and other media artifacts with ads, newscasts, and other media artifacts with subversive meanings are all culture-jammers.” - Mark subversive meanings are all culture-jammers.” - Mark DeryDery

““Damn the Networks! Victory to the Imagination!” - Yogi Damn the Networks! Victory to the Imagination!” - Yogi in Craig Baldwin's “Spectres of the Spectrum” in Craig Baldwin's “Spectres of the Spectrum”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ep-hGYOQwo

Types of Cultural Jamming

Commercial: Probably the most well known Commercial: Probably the most well known form of culture jamming is subvertising.form of culture jamming is subvertising.

Types of Cultural Jamming

Political: Less common but equally Political: Less common but equally powerful are political forms of culture powerful are political forms of culture jamming. jamming.

Types of Cultural Jamming

Social: Of course, some culture jams are Social: Of course, some culture jams are playful in nature and target society in playful in nature and target society in general, being satirically oriented at general, being satirically oriented at anything from a holiday to a particular anything from a holiday to a particular political leader or recognizable symbol.political leader or recognizable symbol.

How to Cultural Jam?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00yXM74CHFg&feature=related

Become educated. Learn about some of the destructive methods of large-Become educated. Learn about some of the destructive methods of large-scale consumerism and about the unethical dealings of multinational scale consumerism and about the unethical dealings of multinational companies like Wal-Mart and Nike. Read subversive literature, like "Steal companies like Wal-Mart and Nike. Read subversive literature, like "Steal This Book" or "No Logo."This Book" or "No Logo."

Gather your friends together who share the same views as you and form a Gather your friends together who share the same views as you and form a plan. Maybe your group should join a local jammer network. Pick out a plan. Maybe your group should join a local jammer network. Pick out a target and get some ideas formulating. If you can't think of any ideas, do target and get some ideas formulating. If you can't think of any ideas, do some research on jamming and learn from the actions of fellow jammers some research on jamming and learn from the actions of fellow jammers and activists.and activists.

Gather your supplies. The jammer must be creative and flexible. You have a Gather your supplies. The jammer must be creative and flexible. You have a wide range of tools at your disposal: Markers, spray paint, fliers, wheat wide range of tools at your disposal: Markers, spray paint, fliers, wheat paste, stickers, paint, etcpaste, stickers, paint, etc

How to Cultural Jam?

Hit up the scene with your group of friends! Make it Hit up the scene with your group of friends! Make it something that would catch something that would catch youryour eye, and watch eye, and watch out for employees, officers, and live security-cams. out for employees, officers, and live security-cams. HintHint, don't forget that the infamous dark dome , don't forget that the infamous dark dome cameras on supermarket ceilings do not have 360 cameras on supermarket ceilings do not have 360 degree vision, and are in blurry black and white.degree vision, and are in blurry black and white.

Rinse and repeat, and develop better strategies Rinse and repeat, and develop better strategies after the jams. Hit different communities, to shock after the jams. Hit different communities, to shock people who never saw your eye-catching work.people who never saw your eye-catching work.

Source: Source:

Activity

• In groups of 3 or 4 visit the following Wikipedia article In groups of 3 or 4 visit the following Wikipedia article and under “and under “List of culture jamming organizations or List of culture jamming organizations or people” select a topic for you to create a simple people” select a topic for you to create a simple JamJam::

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_jamming

• Using Adobe Photoshop CS5, and borrowing pictures Using Adobe Photoshop CS5, and borrowing pictures from Google Images, prepare a simple Jam ad consisting from Google Images, prepare a simple Jam ad consisting of images and text layers.of images and text layers.

• Post the the in JPG format on the course wiki submission Post the the in JPG format on the course wiki submission page with a brief explanation of your image and the page with a brief explanation of your image and the names of your lab members.names of your lab members.