From Mother Jones: 20 Astonishing Gun Ads

[PA Democrat]

Advertisements for guns have long been used to stoke fear, offer a little testosterone boost, or give the potential owners—particularly the core target audience of young men—a taste of the good life as a cowboy, cop, soldier, or videogame combatant. Here are some samples through the years beginning with Bushmaster, manufacturer of the rifle allegedly used in the Newtown school shooting.










More at link:
http://www.motherjones.com/media/2012/12/gun-ads-bushmaster-mattel?page=1

[Pholus]

1. Funny how advertising can tell you what it is REALLY about.

Advertisers aren't going to waste time on a message that doesn't RESONATE with their targets.

So, Bushmaster with the "revoked man card" campaign is kind of telling.

Image link saved -- it actually will make a good image comeback to some of my favorite RKBA'ers.

[PA Democrat]

2. Isn't it?

There is another one for the Bushmaster that I believe actually uses the term testosterone. I'll post it if I find it.

[Pholus]

3. Yeah, I think compiling a small group of these would be quite handy at cutting through the BS.

Thanks for the link!

[PA Democrat]

7. Guess what? Bushmaster has pulled its website that included a quiz

to determine if you were a real "man." Here is the quote that I believe was on the website:

In a world or rapidly depleting testosterone, the Bushmaster Man Card declares and confirms that you are a Man's Man

Real men don't need guns to prove their "manliness."

[Pholus]

9. Too late, I fear. Been reading about why.

"In the wake of the shooting, some clever Internet users have employed their revoking privileges to taking away Bushmaster’s own man card, listing their location as Newtown, Conn. “Bushmaster is run by awful human beings,” one revocation notice reads"

http://www.salon.com/2012/12/17/bushmasters_horrible_ad_campaign/singleton/

[PA Democrat]

15. Thanks for posting. Sad, isn't it?

[Pholus]

16. Not even close! Your post was the best early Christmas present this year!

[vlyons]

18. Real men

are responsible for their actions
respect women
care for children
admit their mistakes and try to be better persons
are thoughtful and considerate
advocate peace and practice civility

[Zoeisright]

20. Thank you.

That's perfect.

[earthside]

27. 'Gun fetishist'

The Bushmaster ad demonstrates graphically why this term is so appropriate.

What is also rather amusing about this line of argument is that when you use it, the gun fetishist becomes so agitated that they literally are showing how close this psychological condition describes them.

It is actually kind of pathetic.

[madokie]

4. This is really disturbing

[Bucky]

5. More honest ad: "Bushmaster. They're not laughing at you anymore"

Bushmaster: blows the competition away. (Now available at Target)

[meow2u3]

13. An even more honest ad: "Bushmaster. Compensate for your teeny weenie with one"

Bushmaster: Because you're too chicken to stand up to the world.

[sinkingfeeling]

6. The first one says it all. My opinion in black & white of why people buy the things.

[Victor_c3]

12. That makes a lot of sense

I guess given our modern society, the traditional idea of "manliness" doesn't really apply to most guys anymore. So, instead of being "real men" a lot of guys are stuck on acting or trying to present an image that they are "real" men.

Yup, they are playing on male insecurity. It is probably a very effective add (unfortunately).

[Chorophyll]

8. Next time a gun-bot gets mad at me for saying

that s/he is "compensating," I'll just whip out this link. Thank you for posting.

[leeroysphitz]

10. Or...

[Pholus]

14. That large blank space on the page...

is just begging for the photoshop treatment isn't it? But the original is sad enough to be a classic by itself. It simply says it all.

The original (along with Bounty Hunter Babe) are my favorites right now.

[radhika]

11. Better to offer free Viagra...

There seems to be some potency issues among gun nuts.

[justanidea]

17. Some of those arent even astonishing.

The man card one and obama hitler ones are.

But the woman carry one, Sig Sauer one, and Bushmaster evolution one dont come across as astonishing or shocking to me

They look like plain old ads. Unless you just consider the fact that guns are advertised disturbing in and of itself. .

[Pholus]

19. Most aren't. But the ones that are. Whoa!

They pretty much is *THE* argument ender right there.

I might actually go to the next local gun show JUST to leaf through magazines and see if I can get a few more gems.

[treestar]

21. Says it all, doesn't it?

The only people who need them for potential self defense are people in rural situations.

[malthaussen]

22. The Iver Johnson ad is something else.

Okay, it's 100 years old, but gee, I wonder why gunmakers don't use that theme anymore?

-- Mal

[theKed]

23. What could they be implying with this ad?

I expect they're not talking about the gun's reliability ...

[RC]

24. This works too.

[Paladin]

25. And Our DU Gun Enthusiasts Claim There's No "Gun Culture." (nt)

[PA Democrat]

26. They make a lot of claims that are not based in reality.

[Paladin]

28. So I've Noticed, Over The Years. (nt)

[oldbanjo]

29. Thanks for showing the adds,

I see a few guns I like maybe I'll get one for Christmas.

[Pholus]

31. If you feel like you have an inadequacy...

Several of those would apparently work.

Judging by the ads, of course.

[reformist2]

30. Imagery like this adds to and encourages a culture of violence.

[Nanjing to Seoul]

32. Idi Amin sure looks like Forest Whitaker. Hold on. . .on closer inspection. . .

Wait. . .that IS Forest Whitaker!

[PA Democrat]

33. OMG. You're right, that's from the movie The Last King of Scotland

Whitker played te role of Idi Amin.