From fast-fashion hauls to Black Friday deals, advertising has long been blamed for fuelling a throwaway culture. Now, researchers, campaigners and community voices are invited to come together in Portsmouth to discuss whether advertising could instead be used to promote repair, reuse and the circular economy.
On 20th November (5-8pm), the University of Portsmouth's Revolution Plastics Institute will host a public event - Advertising and Sustainable Consumption. The event will feature a series of short talks followed by a panel discussion and public Q&A. Attendees are welcome to arrive from 5pm to view the Billboard Dystopia exhibition made by Adfree Cities. Entry is free and open to the public, with tea and coffee provided.
As part of the event, visitors will be invited to reflect on the role of advertising in public spaces and to express what they would like to see there instead - if they had the choice.
We're incredibly excited to host this programme. By combining academic research, satirical art, repair in action, and public dialogue, we're asking difficult but important questions about whether advertising can ever sit comfortably within a circular economy. It's a powerful opportunity for the community to engage and imagine alternatives.
Dr Kate Whitman, Ethical consumption researcher at the University of Portsmouth
Introduced by Dr Kate Whitman , from the Revolution Plastics Institute , the panel includes Dr Matthew Anderson, who will explain what the circular economy is and why society needs to move towards it. Dr Karen Middleton, who is working with environmental group Purpose Disruptors, will discuss how advertising is being called on to acknowledge its role on environmentally damaging overconsumption while Eve Warlow of Everyday Plastic will examine the problem of greenwashing.
Dr Mick Hayes will then trace how advertising has promoted circularity, such as "Make Do and Mend" from a historical perspective. Clare Seek of Portsmouth's Repair Cafe and Library of Things, will talk about her experience of running an organisation that helps reduce the need for overconsumption. We will also be exploring whether community action can influence inner city advertising' with Nicola Wilks from Adfree Cities and Lizzie Rose from Curious Earth and Young Greens.
The event forms part of Screens, Spaces, and Sustainability: Is Advertising Compatible with the Circular Economy? - a free exhibition and programme of workshops running from 3rd - 20th November at the University of Portsmouth Business School, Portland Building. Highlights include Billboard Dystopia , a touring satirical billboard artwork made from re-engineered e-waste (open to the public 20th Nov), a "subvertising" workshop (19th November) and pop-up repair cafe/repair workshops (18th November) which show how repairing instead of buying new can save us money as well as help the environment.
Dr Kate Whitman , ethical consumption researcher at the University of Portsmouth, added: "We're incredibly excited to host this programme. By combining academic research, satirical art, repair in action, and public dialogue, we're asking difficult but important questions about whether advertising can ever sit comfortably within a circular economy. It's a powerful opportunity for the community to engage and imagine alternatives."
The exhibition arrives as pressure mounts on governments, businesses and communities to curb single-use products and move towards a circular economy. With governments setting ambitious circular economy targets, campaigners argue that tackling the cultural drivers of overconsumption, including the persuasive pull of advertising, will be key.
Advertising and sustainable consumption takes place on 20th November, 6-8pm, at the University of Portsmouth Business School. Guests are welcome to arrive from 5pm to view the Billboard Dystopia exhibition and participate in activities. Entry is free and open to the public.
