Selling the Arcane: Online Advertising for Conspiracy Theory Talks

The last years have seen a professionalization of the marketization of conspiracy-theory related consumer goods and events, which has to strike a particularly delicate balance between the image of hidden, even dangerous knowledge – the arcanum around which conspiracy theory communication is structured – and the promise of an easy access to this knowledge. The paper investigates online advertisements for conspiracy theory talks, in particular online video teasers for conspiracy theory talks on platforms selling tickets for said talks, and reconstructs what contradictory demands are practically processed in the dramaturgy of said clips. It thus contributes both to our understanding of contemporary conspiracy theory communication and of online advertisement more generally.