F.A.Q.

Q: So, this is like Adbusters, right?

A: Sure. Except Adbusters is a magazine. And the the topics they deal with seem to span the gamut of progressive politics, not just advertising and public space. And they are from Canada. And… well a lot of things make them different than us. But maybe we’re kinda like them because we both have “Ad” in our names. Or maybe if we were a magazine, which we’re not.

Q: How do you make money?

A: We don’t really make money. The Anti-Advertising Agency is funded by a grant from the Creative Work Fund. This allows us to do far more important work than just make money. Look around and you’ll notice all the important things in life don’t make money – like loving others, giving gifts, sharing time with friends. It might not make financial sense, but this is a new kind of company with new kinds of goals. We’re excited about not making sense in a world that is completely absurd.

Q: Don’t you think it’s ironic to utilize advertising methods to get your message out?

A: Yes! It’s supposed to be ironic! We’re borrowing tools that have been researched and tested by marketers for decades and using them to our own ends. Many of those marketing methods are very effective, that’s why businesses are so invested in them. So why reinvent the wheel when we can just insert one gear to make the whole thing run in another direction?

Q: Won’t people just mentally filter out your messages the same way they do advertising?

A: We don’t think so. For one, our overall purpose is completely different. Our messages are not trying to sell or are anyway related to any product. That distinction is crucial. We’re not advertisers, we’re artists. Our work is coming from the community and relaying ideas based on things that can’t be bought or sold – a totally different approach than the top down, supply and demand, brand/sales/product based methods of advertising. This approach will come through in every aspect of the work. Viewers filter out sales messages and manipulation. We’re not interested in either of those things.

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