Although metaphor is often known as a “cliché” poetical device, many metaphors are so “normal” they are barely recognisable. In this article, I show there is a tension between the way basic metaphors entrenched in society, culture and language often stem from structures we ultimately want to resist (i.e. for the sake of the climate crisis, or other societal issues such as gender-based violence). And yet, by re-appropriating these metaphors in creative ways, we may be able to find space to overcome them.

When appealing to large audiences, such as in campaigns or protests, an effective way to grab the audience’s attention is to refer to well-known expressions or commonly shared experiences. In fact, this is one of the essential ideas behind branding and marketing – developing something audiences recognise and identify with. In activism contexts, referring to familiar expressions can be done in creative, subversive, and ironic ways, which challenge dominant narratives in society that activists often seek to resist. In this article, I’m going to talk about how metaphor can be our best friend or our best foe in these contexts.