STATES UNITED TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE (SUPGV) OPENS GUN STORE IN MANHATTAN TO DEBUNK SAFETY MYTHS

#GunsWithHistory PSA and Online Tool at GunsWithHistory.com Shows Every Gun Has a History. Let’s Not Repeat It.

According to a recent survey, 6 out of 10 Americans believe owning a firearm makes homes safer. But studies show the opposite to be true: owning a gun actually increases risk of injury and death.

To debunk this misperception, SUPGV, a small, non-profit organization, did the unthinkable… On March 11th and 12th, 2015 they opened a gun store in NYC and invited first-time gun buyers to check it out.

Customers were shocked with some unsettling histories behind different firearm models, including their use in homicides, suicides and unintentional & mass shootings. SUPGV captured their stunned reactions via hidden cameras.

With the footage, SUPGV launched a powerful public service announcement on March 17, 2015 to inform people who are interested in purchasing guns for safety of the potential risks and unpredictable outcomes.

The PSA is featured at gunswithhistory.com, which mirrors the shopping experience online. It features guns used in tragedies and their deadly histories. It also includes a risk evaluation tool, showing statistics based on gun buyers' personal data.

Given SUPGV had $0 for media, we had to rely on the power of the creative idea and a smart PR plan to garner consumer and press attention. We invited media outlets to the store and provided b-roll for them to use in their coverage.

OUR GOAL

Get first-time gun buyers who want to buy a gun for “safety” to think twice about the protection it brings by highlighting the potential risks and unpredictable outcomes that can result.

OUR IDEA

Debunk the misperception that guns make you safer by doing the unthinkable: opening another gun store and sharing the histories behind different firearms – their use in suicides, homicides, unintentional and mass shootings.

OUR RESEARCH

Authenticity was essential. We visited gun stores to ensure we created a real-looking shop and delivered a true shopping experience. We also did significant research on America’s most popular firearms.

AMAZING ENGAGEMENT

During launch week, SUPGV tracked

• 12 million+ views of the online film, driving people to the website

• 65,000+ website visits

• 381,000+ page views

• 3+ minute average time on site

WOWED THE MEDIA

With $0 paid or donated media, SUPGV garnered

• 775+ million impressions

• High-quality coverage in 400+ broadcast, online & print US media outlets

• Additional exposure in 179 countries

GAINED SUPPORT

SUPGV gained new supporters and funding. Indexed versus a typical week, in the 7 days following the launch, SUPGV reported

• A 1,250% increase in gun control petition signatures

• A 1,111% increase in traffic to their organization’s website, ceasefireusa.org

• A 3,000% increase in unsolicited donations

• A 500% increase in Facebook likes

MOST IMPORTANTLY, SUPGV CHANGED MINDS

After learning the tragic histories behind the guns in our store, 80% of customers decided they no longer wish to own a firearm.

SUPGV had $0 for media, so we had to rely on the power of the creative idea and execution, and a smart PR plan, to garner consumer and press attention.

• We waited until we had a compelling media package and a clear call to action before inviting broadcast media to the scene of the social experiment to capture their own footage and for a behind the scenes interview the SUPGV Executive Director.

• We shared the video and messaging with print and online outlets, offering additional email, phone and in-person interviews with SUPGV Clients.

• We socialized the video with through grassroots support from other gun violence prevention groups and celebrity influencers like, partnering with them to share the PSA and drive traffic to the website.

The strong execution of the PR plan, coupled with the strength of the public service announcement and the interactive website tool, led to massive success.

AMERICA HAS A GUN PROBLEM.

Every year, 30,000 Americans are killed with guns.

GUN SALES ARE SKYROCKETING. AMERICANS THINK GUNS = SAFETY.

A record-high 63% of Americans believe having a gun in the home makes it safer.

BUT, STUDIES SHOW THAT MORE GUNS = MORE DEATH.

Research proves owning a gun actually increases the risk of death & injury.

STATES UNITED TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE is a small, non-profit organization dedicated to making America safer by bringing the impact of gun violence to the attention of political leaders, the public and media and lobbying Congress for stricter laws.

With 60% of Americans believing guns make homes safer, we wanted to create a timely headline about a gun store popping up in NYC – a true social experiment. With that in mind, we set out to start a global conversation encouraging people to think hard before purchasing a firearm.

We didn’t want to alert media until we had a compelling video and call to action to seed. We knew that with these, we could coordinate a steady drumbeat of broadcast coverage supplemented with online coverage to fuel the fire and ensure the message had global reach.

We targeted outlets on both sides of the gun violence prevention argument that we knew would have passionate opinions. We knew that PR and social had to work together to get people talking, so we made it our goal to start an international debate to get people talking and thinking about gun safety.