Subvertising

What is Subvertising?

Subvertising is the practice of lighting up the streets with spoofs or parodies of corporate and political advertisements. It can be effective to take action with witty and cutting satire of companies who aggravate racial and climate injustice.

Cehck out XR Lambeth's ad-hacking video here

Working with partner groups

Crews like Special Patrol Facebook Group and Brandalism are currently active alongside Extinction Rebellion. They are separate organisations to XR and any reproduction of their work must be credited.

How do I get into a bus top?

There are further videos, guides and websites with plenty of info but the main piece of kit people use is a T30 key, high visibility jackets and non-descript worker clothes; it’s best to hide in plain sight and look like they belong when they are putting up the posters.

What artwork should I use?

To keep costs down, groups have been known to remove adverts and hand paint chosen messages on to the back of the adverts. It’s also common practice to edit posters, focusing specifically on companies complicit in the climate crisis.

For straight up designs, consult the latest files here.

Where can I get bus stop ads printed?

To print bus stops sized sheets use DigitalPrinting and select 6 sheet measuring 1,200mm x 1,800mm.

What are the legal implications?

There is generally a view that this kind of action is a lower level in arrestability.

From the Brandalism Subvertising manual:

“some legal advice from Green and Black Cross: The basic rule of thumb is ‘No Comment’. In the worst case scenario, a charge is likely to be that ‘criminal damage’, which holds minor penalties.” Other legal advice that has been provided warns that if caught with a removed advert there could be a charge of theft. However, at present we are unaware of anyone facing prosecution for subvertising.