I’ve leafed through a couple of issues of AdBusters magazine a couple of times, and have always been intrigued by the layout and the complete deconstruction of branded® America&tm;. How should I best explain AdBusters? Well, I think they do it best:

Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Adbusters is a not-for-profit, reader-supported, 120,000-circulation magazine concerned about the erosion of our physical and cultural environments by commercial forces.

Yeah, pretty much. So are there ads in the magazine? Nope. The layout is fantastic and entertaining, but they somehow manage to stay away from having a “brand” themselves. I really don’t know how they do it, but they seem to stay on that razors-edge of having a good, gripping, competent design, but yet don’t fall into the trap of “no image as an image”. Also, culture jamming is a great idea (not to mention a great name), and I suspect that Warren Ellis knows well these busters of ad.

I do believe I will subscribe.