I decided to do further research on The Yes Men, a culture jamming activist duo and network of supporters created by Jacques Servin and Igor Vamos. This group primarily aims to raise awareness about what they consider problematic social and political issues. They feel that lies can expose truth, and they constantly impersonate and spoof entities. Their strategies of hoaxes, a satirical approach, and the power of spin helps to up the shock factor of their work and gain media attention. In my research, I discover their new project, The Yes Lab, which is a series of brainstorms and trainings to help activist groups carry out media-getting creative actions, and to help them focus on their own campaign goals. In other words, an organization will come to the Yes Lab, and they will receive help to refine their goals, organize teams, and carry out their mission. This shows that The Yes Men now want to inspire others to use creative means to drive media attention to important issues. While reading about this group, my mind went to Saturday Night Live, and how they constantly spoof and impersonate public figures. Is there a connection between the two?
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