Climate activists subvert Bristol Billboards using spoof ads

Climate activists have taken down billboards to protest car advertisements.

Spoof ads targeting car companies have replaced billboards in Easton, St Werburghs and Bristol.

The hacking was claimed by the Brandalism group. Local activists call for Bristol City Council’s reduction of air pollution through restricting vehicle adverts.

Bristol City Council said it planned to tackle air pollution by investing £424m in low carbon energy projects instead.

Several councils in the UK, including Cambridgeshire, Norwich and North Somerset, have introduced restrictions on advertising for environmentally-damaging products, such as fossil fuel companies, flights and SUV cars.

Despite Bristol City Council banning advertising for unhealthy food, alcohol and gamblingIt has not yet introduced similar restrictions on advertising with high carbon content.

Bristol City council responded to a question about advertising restrictions by saying that they plan to reduce emissions through insulation, district heating, and improvements in transport.

Members of the Organizing Committee organized the action over the last few days. climate activist group Brandalism, which broke into more than 400 billboards advertising commercial products and bus stops in the UK and France.

The tactic of “subertivising” is used by members. It’s the act whereby parody or spoof political ads.

The international action was carried out by members of Subtervisers International, Extinction Rebellion and the clandestine Brandalism network.

The Bristol billboard Takeover was a collaboration between 11 artists. They said that the project draws attention towards how advertising seeks more cars and the increasing impacts of climate collapse.

One resident who took part said the billboard installation also showed the irony of advertising cars within cities already plagued by too many cars.

“Why don’t the council follow other councils to ban this type advertising if they really want to address air pollution and reduce greenhouse gasses?

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