Mainstreaming Culture Jamming? Revisiting the Socio-Cultural Impact of Viral Campaign

Abstract

This paper revisits the socio-cultural impact of culture jamming, a practice which stems from social movement to derail mainstream values and corporate branding. Culture jamming aims to convey messages of social resistance by adding satirical and alternative cultural meaning to the icons representing corporate brands and social mainstream values. However, in view of the rise of social media networks and viral campaigns, culture jamming could paradoxically be incorporated by authorities and corporations for their own promotional purposes. By conducting textual and content analysis of a viral campaign in Hong Kong—a fictitious icon promoting life-saving by the Fire Services Department of Hong Kong government, this paper discusses the conditions which facilitate such mainstreaming incorporation of culture jamming. The study hopes to foster scholarly dialogue on the versatility of culture jamming across the fields of social movement and business branding.