Message Recall is a recently launched, ongoing podcast series discussing the history, tactics, and psychology of advertising in public spaces. There are now two 30 minute-long episodes of this groundbreaking and entertaining treat for the ears, available for free online or on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Simplecast. Created by members of Adblock Bristol, this podcast…Continue reading Visual noise or valid communication? Message Recall podcast
Adblock Brum vs Birmingham City Council in Birmingham Local Enforcement (BLEP) lockdown showdown
On Saturday 14th October volunteers from Environmentalist group Adblock Birmingham (Brum) wrote to Birmingham City Council and submitted five proposals to be fed into the Birmingham Local Enforcement Plan (BLEP). This document outlines how the council will deal with breaches of planning control and enforcement issues in Birmingham, including Advertising sites. Shockingly, at present planning enforcement is discretionary, not mandatory- which means that the council can choose whether or not to enforce its own rules!…Continue reading Adblock Brum vs Birmingham City Council in Birmingham Local Enforcement (BLEP) lockdown showdown
No new digital screens in Bedminster, Bristol
Advertising giant JCDecaux wants to put a large digital advertising screen at the junction of Bedminster Down Road and Parson Street. The screen would be capable of showing six adverts per minute – designed to distract passing motorists, but having an intolerable impact on the people who live nearby, as well as the children who…Continue reading No new digital screens in Bedminster, Bristol
Competition and Markets Authority Survey on Misleading Environmental Claims
Adfree Cities has written a template response to the CMA survey, to help you quickly and easily make a submission….Continue reading Competition and Markets Authority Survey on Misleading Environmental Claims
Our #AdfreeCities conference 2020
In November 2020, Adfree Cities hosted the UK’s second annual anti-advertising conference. (More info and copies of presentations here.) We heard from several exciting organisations that are campaigning for spaces free from the deceptive messages of corporate advertising. These included climate charity Possible and thinktank the New Weather Institute who have launched their Badvertising campaign…Continue reading Our #AdfreeCities conference 2020
Campaigners reject HSBC’s ‘net-zero ambition’, targeting billboards over ‘climate colonialism’
Activists in 10 UK cities have covered billboards and bus stops with spoof HSBC adverts, accusing HSBC of ‘climate colonialism’ and demanding the bank end its financing of fossil fuels, detention centres and climate destruction. Over 250 billboards, bus stops and tube ads featuring HSBC advertisements have been hijacked (IMAGES HERE), including in London and…Continue reading Campaigners reject HSBC’s ‘net-zero ambition’, targeting billboards over ‘climate colonialism’