My favorite Pod-Mistress Gail Pepin has a bone to pick with some firearms manufacturers. It seems that she finds demeaning the use of big boobs and slim female bodies wearing saran wrap-type clothing to sell guns to the male population and also hates the idea that pink guns will sell automatically to women because of some hidden genetic code that forces them to buy anything in that color according to manufacturers. Gail also picks a serious femur with us because we actually take a spell to admire such marketing ploys. Supposedly, we should be ashamed of ourselves.
Gail, sorry but this cro-magnon is not apologizing. Although I understand there is a fair amount of the “fair” sex that finds these type of things offensive, another fair amount do not care and sex is a valid selling tool. However do give us neanderthals the benefit of doubt. The babe displaying the gun can be the Playmate of the Century and have the body that God and a very good plastic surgeon gave her, but if the gun she is pushing is crap, I ain’t buying and that goes for the majority of fellow male Gun Owners.
I don’t care if the Whizbang 3000 Tactical AKlon comes with a free Hooker-a-Month and a free weekly case of Jack Daniels, if it does not go bang every time I pull the trigger and lands the bullets where I want it to go, I will not buy it and neither will any other gun owner with an IQ above 75. Specially nowadays with the Interweb and gun forums offering almost instant and brutal reviews on any gun that hits the market.
I don’t think there is a male in the Modern Gun Culture that has not seen the above poster. And allegedly there is one even racier floating around the net (If you have it, please send me the link or mail me the pic to miguel(AT)gunfreezone.net, many thanks in advance) but as good looking as she is, the only reason LaRue sells oodles is because they deliver a great quality product and they stand by it. As good looking as poster babe could be, I am not defining my self defense on libido but weapon quality and functionality. If SHTF, who in his right mind will pick her over a rifle? (Yes guys, there is a rifle in that poster. Look harder.)
As for pink guns, why not? There are actually many women and some men that like pink. If the lady likes purple…sorry…fuchsia, well go ahead and get a gun in that color. It is your money and your taste and as long as it goes bang and hits the target, who cares? I love to see my wife wearing a pink blouse or sweater ’cause I think she just looks beautiful in it. She is not a fan pink so I don’t buy much clothing in that color because I hate to impose. Would I buy her a pink AR? Nope, but I have the suspicion that a gun in Bengal tiger colors would drive her insane. You don’t like pink? Don’t buy it and demand that the manufacturer come with a gun in your favorite color. To each his or her own.
And of course, there are those of us that think a Pink AK should be banned just on bad taste. 🙂
PS: I refer to Gail as Pod Mistress. I know it evokes the idea of whips and other devices of control and that is why I use it. Gail has to record a podcast with the likes of Massad Ayoob, John & Terri Strayer, Steve Denney, Herman Gunter, Chris Christian and Mike Larney in a free-for-all format. The only way that the show does not run away from her is to keep that herd in absolute control. I heard rumors that besides the standard recording equipment, a bayonet, a whip, a taser and several cans of pepper spray are always at Gail’s reach.
If you haven’t check them out, you are missing on a great show. Search iTunes & subscribe for ProArms Podcast and enjoy!
PS2: Gail, when you read this and start plotting revenge and ways to flay me with you bayonet attached to your Glock I have bad news. I won’t be going to the Florida IDPA State Match this year. 😛 So unless you make a trip all the way down here to Miami, you will have to wait till 2011. <evil laugh>
Miguel,
Not sure if you’ve noticed or not, but middle-aged white guys already own guns. If we expect to keep Article II alive it will require the participation of pro-gun women and minorities in the political process.
It would serve manufacturers well to start considering women in their product designs and their advertizing – after all, THEY’RE ONLY 50% OF THE VOTING BLOCK (and I wish there was such a thing as “sarcastic” font when typing.)
When I see pink guns it really ires me. It looks like appeasement and a way the male dominated industry acts like they care. In reality, they’re simply dismissing women and talking down to them.
“There you go little lady. There’s a little pink gun for you. See, we care, now go away and leave the real guns to us men.”
There isn’t a single holster manufacturer in the country that is willing to take the time and truely design and market holsters for women – that is all I need to know about who runs things and what the attitude is.
With regard to the above poster, my simple question is “why?” What exactly is it that LaRue is attempting to say there? How does that ad build any confidence to the consumer that the product will perform WHEN THEIR LIFE IS ON THE LINE!?
The firearm industry isn’t selling aftershave or cars, they are selling LIFE SAVING EQUIPMENT!
I don’t believe for a second that LaRue doesn’t understand what their products are used for, or what that responsibility is, but I’d never know it from that poster. And I wrote them a letter saying as much two years ago.
Frank, I think sometimes we make the mistake of thinking that a particular group thinks ‘en-block.’ and create a one-size-fits-all solution or response. You see, I understand Gail’s point of view and respect it, but that does not mean she is right 100%. A sexy ad (or live girl at the SHOT show) is just an attention getter. The company will still have to show me that the gun, accessory, etc is worth my hard earned bucks. To say that a good looking scantly dressed chick automatically equals the register ringing sales is overreaching a bit, specially in the Gun Culture. That some will buy for that reason? Probably yes, but the immense majority will demand performance from the product or they will become a passing comment “Pepo’s 20 round remote controlled 1911 clone? Crappy gun, but great babe in the poster!” We men are Pigs… but we are not THAT dumb.
Let me extend the argument to the absurd. You want to sell your own line of plastic wonder nines and you make red your color that will identify it: Red gun, red posters, red caps, red t-shirts, etc. Bet you dollar to donuts some color-blind shooter will complain that red advertisement is demeaning to people with that particular disability.
Now I’m wiling to compromise. I propose that next year’s SHOT should be dedicated to women and thus every company should substitute the use of Babes with Boobies for Chippendale Dancers. I bet you Gail’s protests might not have the same force and we might see an increase in female interest for shooting 😉
And yes, I’m kidding….some.
Either you want to be taken seriously, or you don’t.
LaRue ran that ad for years on the back of SWAT magazine. It wasn’t a one-time-thing, or a promotional handout at the SHOT show, it was their company image.
They expectecd me, as a professional instructor and gunman to take them seriously, at first sight, from that ad. They expected me to buy, and TRUST MY LIFE to, their equipment based on the message in that ad. Ridiculous! It was a completely shallow and insulting suggestion, one which I will have no part of.
Sure, few take things like this as seriously as I do – the majority of gun manufacturers and holster manufacturers rarely carry or shoot guns – few are serious shooters or have any interest in it. And to most gun owners, their equipment is little less than an afterthought, or something they have “just in case.” I certainly can’t expect a whole lot from an industry who’s main demographic prefers fash over substance.
However, none of that will prevent me from appealing to the better judgement of all involved. I’m begging everyone to look at the big picture and consider what it is you are selling, and who you need to sell to. It is penny wise and dollar foolish to not market to our female collegues. To not accept the fact that they are 50% of the voting public and potentially 50% of the marketplace is cutting our own throats, and worse yet, placing the Second Amendment in jeopardy.
Again, this isn’t about selling a car, or a beer, or any other consumer product – this is about selling life vs death, and LIBERTY. This is a Constitutionally protected product (for now), and it has a much deeper and important philosophical foundation – one which I get a little peeved about when I see it dressed in a thong and marketed to morons.
But hey, do what you want and justify it any way that makes you feel better – just don’t cry about it when your rights are voted away by women who were treated like crap the first time they walked in a gunshop and never went back.
Frank, If I were a woman I would take offense. You basically called that 50% of our population stupid because you think they are willing to vote our fundamental Rights away ’cause of a risque ad and they may feel offended. I do give the Women of the USA a bit more credit than that.
Nice try.
I said women who are treated like crap and talked down to the first time they walk in a gun shop may abandon the idea of The Second Amendment being a part of their life because of the experience, and cease voting along those lines, if nothing else, from lack of interest.
Then it is a question of Gun Shop Employees, not posters or boobies or pink guns. You are stating that women are dim witted enough to dump on the Bill Of Rights because a bad shopping experience. That seems to be a tad disrespectful.
Gun shop employees may be where it starts…then again, maybe it’s looking at the back of SWAT magazine when they’re standing in Borders… Then again, maybe it’s some well meaning significant other who buys a J-frame for them and it tears their hands up after 20-rounds, and then the guy rolls his eyes at her when she wants to stop shooting. Or maybe it’s some idiot in their life who hands them a .44MAG their first time at the range, doesn’t show them any proper techniques, and then laughs at them when the recoil cause the gun to smack them in the head. Maybe it the Youtube videos of women getting the snot knocked out of them by guns and all the brilliant comments and laughter guys leave. Or maybe it could just be the general disrespect displayed by some gun writer in his blog.
Perhaps as a firarms instructor who has worked for 10-years teaching women, I might just know a little something about what women desire when it comes to self defense with firearms, their equipment needs, their real concerns and trepidations, and the things that bother them most about the industry as a whole….like men who refuse to take their issues seriously.
So….keep up the great work, Miguel. From what I’ve seen on this page you’re doing a wonderful job that will really advance our cause.