The Industry’s Diversity
Is Getting Recognized
A new, free NSSF R3 toolkit has given dealers a fresh way to connect with
Black Americans — a surging demographic. (Image: NSSF)
Early March, I received the following email from Hank Yacek, a frequent SI contributor (his most recent story appears here) and respected retail consultant with decades of experience in our industry: “I can’t believe I’m linking this, but did you see the recent New York Times article below?”
The article in question — “The New American Gun Store: Grips, Grenade Launchers and Ramen Noodles” — was published on March 1 and was written by Thomas Gibbons-Neff. It profiled a new group of retailers and companies that are profiting from limited-edition accessories and have also excelled at promoting the gun-owning lifestyle to women and minorities.
It’s more of a “neutral” read, but — notably — it doesn’t lambaste gun ownership. Rather, it focused on our industry’s continued advancement into non-traditional audiences through “drop culture” (a marketing strategy where brands release products in limited quantities to create a sense of exclusivity and desirability). This has led to a profitable revenue stream for stores and companies alike, outside the sale of firearms.
Gibbons-Neff posits this shift was a natural “evolution,” mirroring iconic sneaker and fashion brands.
“In an increasingly polarized nation, gun ownership in America has transformed into more of a lifestyle than a hobby or policy position,” he said.
This falls in line with what I wrote about in this column in last month’s issue: Barring a black swan event, the move from self-defense and fear-based buying to sport shooting is going to be crucial for our industry over the next four years.
“Faces Of Firearms” Campaign
In a second surprising article from the NYT, published in February, the motivations of new gun owners were explored in “They Never Planned On Buying A Gun. Until They Did.”
This story was called out in NSSF’s weekly “First Shots” e-newsletter, with the following commentary: “The New York Times published a rare and honest look at the growing number of new, first-time gun owners and found that not only do Americans value gun ownership but that many of the recent new gun owners are breaking stale stereotypes.”
To that end, NSSF has been doing its part to highlight the “most diverse gun-owning community in history” with its Faces of Firearms campaign, which launched in January.
“This campaign challenges the stereotypes often portrayed by those who oppose lawful firearm ownership to show America who gun owners really are,” said Joe Bartozzi, NSSF president and CEO. “Today’s gun owners are representative of America because they come from every part of American society. We don’t all look the same or talk the same, but we share the very important idea that safe and lawful firearm ownership is our right.”
Some of the featured gun owners in this campaign are domestic violence survivors, Stop Asian Hate advocates, retailers, community leaders and Olympians.
More info can be found here: facesoffirearms.org.
New R3 Toolkit
Another way NSSF is putting its words into action is through the recent release of a “Black American Gun Owners” report and R3 communications toolkit.
Through a Multi-State Conservation Grant, the NSSF along with project partners from Responsive Management, JMI, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources and the National African American Gun Association worked collaboratively to develop a toolkit designed to drive growth, create pathways for involvement and provide the industry with practical tools and resources to communicate with this burgeoning group.
“Our overall goal was to encourage an increase in Black Americans’ participation in R3 programs in general and shooting sports, specifically. We believe to ensure this, the initial experiences with a firearm should be positive. Prior to this project, there was a dearth of messages and images that focus on the unique motivations that drive Black Americans to buy firearms and engage in sport shooting,” stated George P. Braxton, chief diversity and inclusion officer for the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.
The toolkit features a 294-page research report that details survey and focus group findings (as well as a condensed version), and a portal with templated marketing and advertising assets that can be customized with logos for use in digital and print campaigns. It’s available at: https://nssf.widencollective.com/portals/gsl3vr40/R3CommToolkit.
Have you noticed the continued growth in non-traditional markets? What messaging has been effective? Share your thoughts so they can be published for your peers: editor@shootingindustry.com.
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