ADVERTISING IN ACTION

Are you sure you've got that address correct, McDonald's?

Advertising is the shop window of every corporate body. It is their most protected and manicured feature. Advertisers would like us to believe that they are providing us with choices, raising our awareness of products and allowing us to make more informed choices. This is simply another advertisement. Advertising sells not a product but the public to the corporate bodies that need consumers to fatten their profits. We are convinced of our need to have whatever product is emblazoned across the page, the screen, the side hoarding in a stadium, outside of buildings in neon lights, on packaging itself, on the radio, even on public transport, or the billboard - so it seems that some people have had enough, and they are taking back advertising, the work of AdBusters is well documented and here, on McSpotlight, we now have a Subverters page for their handywork. Reclaim!

If anyone knows of any similar feats of ingenuity and daring, please send details to us at info@mcspotlight.org.

This photograph was sent to McSpotlight by an anonymous group of 'McSubvertisers'. They apparently decided to add the rather pertinent URL you can see in the picture after checking out McSpotlight and deciding that "McDonald's customers are the ones who should be reading your information."

This particular billboard is apparently situated on a busy roundabout in North London.


Another donation to the McSpotlight gallery of Subvertising, this piece is situated in Hackney, London, UK and was donated by a group of supporters from the East End (of London).

The busy intersection it is situated on meant that maximum exposure was achieved, bringing a new meaning to billboard advertising.


The donors of this subvert came to the conclusion that it looked better in black and white because "the bloke with the camera had run out of colour film"!

Situated, we are told in the Angel (Islington, London) area, this is an extremely busy dual carriage way - a main road linking north and east London. The drive-thru that this billboard advertises no doubt had some curious questions being asked in the following days ......

McSpotlights first Stateside billboard subvert. This came in via an anonymous eMail from . There is little room for discussion in this one - the message is loud and clear. Are you listening McDonald's?


Other feats of subvertising:

  • Tube/Subway system: the subtleties of subway art.