Pioneers of media-based practices, General Ideas work involved everyday promotional culture and evolved into high gloss advertising. General Idea editions form a discourse that established the groups broader themes: the role of the media, the dissemination of marginalized identities, and the devaluation of originality and artistic genius. Masters of appropriation, General Idea bent popular icons to their own needs, transforming bastions of Americana such as LIFE Magazine and beauty pageants into vehicles for subverting the cultures reigning values.