When Walmart comes to town, local retailers that are unable to keep up with the mega-chain’s prices tend to wilt in its presence, creating what critics say is a negative ripple effect throughout the community. A group of community activists who fear Walmart will rob Washington, D.C. of its character stormed Walmart in a cheerful flash mob, imploring the company to meet with community leaders and agree in writing to improve the neighborhood and pay customers decent wages. [More]
activism
Protesters Stop Foreclosures For Strangers In Spain
By 7.19.11
Some people don’t even know their neighbors’ names, but in Spain protesters are gathering in front of people’s houses to stop or stall foreclosures. And they’re getting results. [More]
Ken Dumps Barbie After Learning She's Into Deforestation
By 6.13.11
Last week, Ken broke up with Barbie after finding out some of the paper in her packaging comes from a Singapore company, Asian Pulp & Paper (APP), they accuse of clearcutting rain forests and destroying endangered tiger habitats. In the animated video put out by Greenpeace, he shrieks after seeing video of Barbie chainsawing the forest and laughing like a mad woman, and shouts, “It’s over!” before punching the camera. Later, activists rappelled down the side of Mattel’s headquarters to unfurl a banner announcing the breakup, and Barbie herself showed up in her bright pink “Dream Dozer” before the cops arrested her. Now in response to the campaign, Mattel announced they’re cutting APP out of their supply chain. [More]
Art Activists Cover Naked Body In Oil In Tate Museum To Protest Censorship And BP Sponsorship
By 4.22.11
A group of art activists this week staged an unsanctioned protest inside the world-famous Tate Modern museum in London by pouring oil over a naked body lying on the floor. [More]
Clergy Perform Exorcism On Chase Bank
By 3.11.11
A group of clergy gathered together on the steps of JP Morgan Chase on Park Ave in New York City to perform an exorcism on the bank. They said that the bank was possessed by the demons of “selfishness and avarice” because according to the group’s new study, only 6% of New York homeowners seeking a loan mod have gotten it in the past year. The exorcism happens at 0:57. No satanic spirits fly out of the banks, but money does fly out when the clergy closes down their bank accounts. [More]
Join The Yes Men In A Food Fight This Weekend
By 2.24.11
Corporate pranksters the Yes Men are inviting you to a food fight. Among their many activist media hoaxes, these guys have posed as spokespersons for the WTO and McDonald’s in order to deliver satirical presentations to unwitting conference goers. Now they’re hosting a two-day workshop this Saturday and Sunday in New York City to devise a “high-profile media action on a crucial food-related issue.” You can take part in the brainstorming and then later help execute the action. [More]
Snag Last-Minute Seat To CU Activist Summit
By 6.1.10
There’s still a few seats left that you can snag for the Consumers Union Activist Summit in Washington DC, next week, June 9-11. [More]
Costumed Sea Creatures Occupy NYC BP Station
By 5.28.10
A gaggle of costumed sea creatures plan to occupy the SoHo BP station in NYC tonight at 6pm to protest the company’s response to the oil spill. However, while the threat of makeshift sea turtles descending on Houston and Lafeyette is wonderful to contemplate, because BP stations are independently-owned, only the local business owner will be harmed by the disruption in commerce. Media points against BP will be harder to score. This particular station is a mecca for taxi cab drivers in the area, who will most likely find any difficulties in getting gas on a busy holiday weekend night to be less than hilarious. UPDATE: Local news coverage: [More]
Yes Men Launch Business Prank Consulting Services
By 5.17.10
The Yes Men, who have made a name for themselves impersonating business titans, making them say ridiculous things, and fooling some people into believing they’re real, are franchising. They’ve started the Yes Lab where groups can come to them with ideas for specific businesses to skewer and the Yes Men will guide them in creating the most disruptive media impact. [More]
Man Seals Self Inside Foreclosed Home
By 5.4.10
Now we finally understand the secrets of the pharoahs: a bunch of angry people in Stony Ridge, Ohio have sealed up a home with the homeowner inside, with his permission, leaving only a golf ball-sized hole in the front door. The man, Keith Sadler, says he fell behind last year after paying on his mortgage for 12 years, and that his bank promised to work with him but instead proceeded with foreclosure. [More]
Video: pHarmony Matches Polluters, Lobbyists, And Politicians
By 2.18.10
New service “pHarmony” is like eHarmony except it matches together polluters, lobbyists and politicians looking to make that special connection that only money and power can bring! In this satirical Greenpeace video, an oil lobbyist talks about how used pHarmony to find his true special someone, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. He says things like, “We both like to stay up at night and gut energy bills,” “It’s like we finish each other’s legislation,” and, “We talked about how much we both don’t like Jon Stewart.” Worth a chuckle, as long as you don’t take it too seriously and get all bent out of shape about it, oh wait, here comes the Consumerist comment section. [More]
Break Up With Your Bad Big Bank This Valentine's Day
By 2.11.10
You know what, it’s just not working out. I’m sorry, giant bank, but it’s time for both of us to move on. This Valentine’s Day, it’s time break up with your big bank, and this website will help snip the ties that bind. [More]
How To Get Clean Tap Water
By 9.15.09
Following up on our post about toxic tap water, it behooves us to provide you, the conscious consumer, with a few tips on how to secure safe tap water.
Facebook Members Go After Coca-Cola
By 8.12.09
How long will it take for Coke to give up on its Facebook page? That depends how long its PR machine can keep deleting the “fun facts” on its Wall:
Customer Visits Verizon CEO's Home, Gives Him A Taste Of No Privacy
By 7.22.09
John Hargrave of comedy site Zug.com tracked down the personal info of Verizon’s CEO, then showed up with a bullhorn to illustrate what a lack of privacy feels like. “Ivan Seidenberg! I’m here on behalf of Verizon customers. PLEASE DO A BETTER JOB PROTECTING YOUR CUSTOMERS’ CELL PHONE RECORDS! Everyone has the right to privacy, including you Ivan! When we don’t have privacy, then freaks with bullhorns start showing up on our front lawn.”
Art Vigilantes Paint Over 120 Illegal Billboards In NYC
By 5.1.09
Last Saturday, ads-in-public-spaces activist Jordan Seiler spearheaded NYSAT, or New York Street Advertising Takeover, where teams of artists, videographers and activists replaced 120 unregistered billboard advertisements throughout the city with original art installations.
Only 42 People Want A Piece of Dell's $1.5 Million Settlement? Seriously?
By 4.4.09
Come on people, Dell agreed to dole out $1.5 million to customers who had problems with warranty repairs, credit financing, and rebates, but with only a week before the filing deadline, Washington’s Attorney General says that only 42 people in his state have submitted claim forms. We know there are eligible Dell victims out there. Our tipline alone has nearly 1,000 Dell-related complaints. Please, fill out your claim form now and get the money your state attorney generals earned for you!
Consumerist Sleuths Track Down Offending Domino's Store
Within only a couple of hours of our posting some gross-out videos of bad Domino’s employees last night, our readers Amy Wilson and whyerhead managed to track down the location, call the store directly to alert the manager, and send the address to Domino’s corporate. The only two clues they had were the YouTube handle of the uploader and a quick glimpse of the surrounding area as viewed through the drive-through window in one of the clips.