Beyond the obvious corporate target (Kroger) our target audience was concerned moms and families who shop at Kroger grocery stores. People who have a legitimate concern for the safety of themselves and their families when they have to share the grocery aisle with others carrying loaded assault weapons.

Despite the ongoing rise in gun violence, America still lacks sensible gun control laws. One such issue is the fact that people are free to openly carry loaded guns in public – the ‘Open Carry Law’.

As a result, many companies have put corporate policies in place to prohibit loaded guns in their stores. However the largest grocery chain in America, Kroger, has not.

‘Groceries not Guns’ directly asks Kroger to change their company’s position on allowing loaded guns in their stores. Every element of the campaign was created to provoke a response. Whether it’s signing a petition, making a complaint call or asking the public to stop shopping at stores like Kroger that support the Open Carry Gun Law.

‘Side by side’ print ads contrasting what wasn’t allowed in Kroger (skateboards, outside food, going shirtless) versus what was (loaded guns) were released in newspaper, as social posts, digital ads, and to news media.

Actual calls to Kroger stores were recorded and aired as direct response radio ads nationally, asking for petition signatures. They were also released to online communities for sharing.

TV and online video asked people to stop shopping at Kroger, directing them to groceriesnotguns.com where ‘boycott’ receipts (from shopping at Kroger competitors) were posted in the ‘World’s Longest Receipt’.

Over 500 pieces of MDA original social content was produced for online community ‘liking’ and sharing.

‘Groceries not guns’ has generated more than 350M unique impressions from earned media alone. But more important than all the coverage is the response and impact it’s had:

Over 1.5M individual responses, including 360,000 petition signatures, 16,000 complaint calls to Kroger and 120,000 new MDA member sign-ups.

Over $250,000 in lost Kroger (boycott) revenue posted by customers in first 48hrs at groceriesnotguns.com.

Safeway/Albertsons, the #2 grocery chain, changes policy to become gun-free, among others.

Benenson Group national survey now shows 83% support for Kroger to prohibit guns.

Because the US government has been slow to respond to making changes to federal laws, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America has taken it upon themselves to ask companies directly to create their own corporate policies that disallow carrying loaded guns in their stores.

Many retailers like Starbucks and Target have now done so. However the largest grocery chain in America, Kroger, has remained silent. Moms Demand Action’s mandate is to put pressure on companies like Kroger to reconsider their position.