Antibrand

Antibrand, or anti-brand, is a term used in marketing, branding theory, and cultural studies to describe a stance, strategy, or set of practices that resist or critique traditional corporate branding and consumer culture. It is not a single organization but a spectrum of attitudes ranging from subtle skepticism toward advertising to explicit anti-consumerist campaigns that minimize or reject logos, slogans, and mass promotion. The concept gained prominence as scholars and practitioners questioned the impact of pervasive branding on identity, authenticity, and social values.

Typical features include logo-minimal or logo-free design, transparent or ethically minded supply chains, and a focus on product experience over promotional messaging. Antibrand approaches may favor community co-creation, user-generated content, and brand activism, where brands engage with social or environmental issues rather than selling a lifestyle. Some practitioners deliberately avoid conventional advertising channels, relying instead on word-of-mouth, experiential marketing, or critical messaging that undermines branding as an end in itself.

Antibrand ideas are often discussed alongside anti-branding movements, brand skepticism, and brandalism—the art and activist practice of substituting corporate advertisements with subversive messages. Critics argue that antibranding can be co-opted by mainstream marketing or reduced to irony, while supporters see it as a tool for reclaiming consumer agency. See also anti-branding, minimalism, brand activism.