Scantily Clad women and gun advertisements. acceptable or not?

[Owen Sparks]

If you can't "accept" scantily clad women in gun advertisements then don't buy from those companies. That is how the free market works.

 

[JohnBT]

My mother taught me that those ads are in poor taste. I still look at them.

John

P.S. - I really read the articles, too.

 

[camar]

I had to concel my subsribisions to the gun magazines because of the nudity. My teenage boys liked to read the aritcles. I had to make a choice.

 

[7.62 Nato]

America has lost her way.

I agree. But let me tell you why I believe it's true. In this Politically Correct induced environment, the stores around me have all but abandoned gun magazines period. I can't go to a drugstore, supermarket, or most media stores that sell magazines and even find copies of Shotgun News and similar related materials. In order for me to purchase a current issue without subscribing I have to go to an "Adult" Bookstore! And yes, that's the only reason I go there. I get looked at like I'm a weirdo because I'm buying gun mags.

 

[Sam1911]

I had to concel my subsribisions to the gun magazines because of the nudity. My teenage boys liked to read the aritcles. I had to make a choice.

Tell them to read THR instead. No nudity, and the information here is MILES ahead of anything you'll read in any gun rag.

 

[2WheelsGood]

the stores around me have all but abandoned gun magazines period. I can't go to a drugstore, supermarket, or most media stores that sell magazines and even find copies of Shotgun News and similar related materials.

Wait wait, I live in the most liberal town in Michigan, and when I run into Barnes & Noble and Borders (before they folded), they have a grand selection of gun magazines. I can't comment on supermarkets and drug stores because I've never looked.

 

[Captains1911]

What aggravates me is the ever growing idea that everyone and everything in this county has to be PC. It's the overly sensitive people who get "offended" by certain things that are driving society in that direction, rather than just ignoring it and moving on with their life.

 

[Sam1911]

So.....you don't like pretty girls? What then do you like? I may be over the hill but I admire pretty girls and guns.....chris3

Hamburger taste good. Sugar tastes good. Try to sell me hamburger by dumping sugar all over it and I'm going to think there's something wrong with your hamburger.

I don't want to see a gun in a sexy (or erotic) scene. (Yes, I've seen that, and it is pretty nauseating.) I don't want to see sexy (or erotic) women in my gun, shooting, or other technical forum/ad/mag -- awkward, embarrassing, irrelevant, out of place.

 

[Serenity]

As a female reader of gun magazines I am offended by the wretched make-up and atrocious clothing (what there is of it) that the girls wear. Maybe they are shooting (heh) for the look that was in style when the main demographic of readers was in high school? It does make me happy to see models who look like they actually EAT, unlike the poor waifs in the women's fashion magazines.

And to make it THR relevant, the ads do NOT turn me off guns, or guys who shoot. Maybe we could get some male eye candy in there? (Are there any advertisers or editors reading this?) To get upset about it would be like going in a locker room and then getting mad when guys act like guys.

 

[Owen Sparks]

If you don't like sexuality used in advertising then don't buy from those advertisers. If enough people feel the same way the free market will take care of it. Just don't pressure the government to pass some law that infringes on the rights of others to publish or read whatever they want because you find it offensive.

You don't have a right to NOT to be offended.

 

[Sam1911]

What aggravates me is the ever growing idea that everyone and everything in this county has to be PC.

"PC" isn't ever-growing. PC peaked out about 10-15 years ago and is now a joke. Most of society has moved on.

There is a difference between being offended by something, and finding it stupid, crass, irrelevant, and off-putting.

 

[M-Cameron]

Here in lies the problem. Scantily-clad women are used mostly to sell items... to men. Duh. Tools, motorcycles, and yes, guns. Which is great, except I'd like to see guns marketed to women at least as much as to men. These aren't the caveman days. Women are out in public just as much as men, and they're often alone and even more vulnerable than men. Women need self protection AT LEAST as much as men. And seriously, sticking a pink grip on a revolver is NOT the way to get women interested.

so..... you want there to be ads of Scantily clad men holding firearms.....?


well, its been a while since my professional male modeling days.....but ill see if i can whip up a few demos for you.....

 

[justice06rr]

I personally don't have a problem with it.

The same advertising techniques are already used by many other companies that are not even firearms related. Just go to your local shopping mall or bookstore. You will already see stores like Victoria Secret, Guess etc. and magazines for fitness or celebrity gossip.

My other opinion on the matter is that your children or younger family members shouldn't really be reading these types of material just as they shouldn't be reading lingerie or tattoo magazines.

 

[lizziedog1]

Good looking women handling guns doesn't bother me in the least.

Sex product ads do.

Gun magazines are getting to the point were you wouldn't want a small child to get a hold of.

 

[Captains1911]

If you don't like sexuality used in advertising then don't buy from those advertisers. If enough people feel the same way the free market will take care of it. Just don't pressure the government to pass some law that infringes on the rights of others to publish or read whatever they want because you find it offensive.

You don't have a right to NOT to be offended.

exactly

 

[Freedom_fighter_in_IL]

Same here. It's unnecessary, and it would only make me second-guess my decision to buy a company's product, assuming I were planning to do so in the first place.

If you have a great product, you have everything you need. I can find pictures of attractive women elsewhere, if that's what I'm looking for. When I'm researching firearms, or just reading outdoors-related magazines or something, I don't need (or want) women on my mind.

If a company using a tried and true SUCCESSFUL method of advertisement makes you second guess it, then you sir are in serious need of an education in economics. I know some of the posters here are old, but I didn't know you were dead! Hell I'm in the "old" section myself. But I try to keep up (another subtle pun, sorry couldn't help myself ) with the times. Good looking women draw the eye to the ad. Plain and simple. And for those of you that think that a hot guy holding a firearm doesn't draw a woman's eye, your wives sure have you fooled! Women "look" just as much as men do, they are just smarter and less obvious about it than we are. The posters that are preaching morality need to go back to your caves. Plain and simple.

 

[Ian]

I think getting ruffled at the idea of a babe in a gun ad pretty well defines "prude".

I only get annoyed at them when it's one of those crappy photos with a model who clearly neither knows nor cares how to actually handle a firearms. I'll happily peruse Oleg Volk ads until the cows come home.

 

[22-rimfire]

Women "look" just as much as men do, they are just smarter and less obvious about it than we are.

I have to laugh. I think it is true, but laugh I still do. Women primarily dress for the scrutiny of other women, not men. Oh sure, a young lady with a low cut blouse is certainly open to attracting men, but they also attract the admiring eyes of other women. It is not sexual toward other women, it is more of a contest in sexuality.

I absolutely do not like the ads for male enhancement drugs or devices in sporting magazines.

 

[Robert]

I think getting ruffled at the idea of a babe in a gun ad pretty well defines "prude".

Was there lots of ankle in the old Hotchkiss or Vickers ads? I've heard the Lewis is a babe magnet. Sorry Ian, had to do it.

Heck I'll model for firearms ads, but I ain't sexy. I find the ads in poor taste most of the time but I can look past it. If it is really bad I put it down and remember to not read that mag or catalog again. If it really angers me I will post about it on the internet

 

[TNboy]

I'm glad we live in a country where companies have the liberty of using scantly clad models in their advertisements if they so chose. That being said I like the idea of a gun magazine being a family friendly publication. I'm not personally offended by the ads but I can see how those with small children may be. A little class goes a long way.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Scantily Clad women and gun advertisements. acceptable or not?

It depends. If it's the women in the Kahr ads, then no, it's not acceptable.

If it's the women in the Dillon ads then YES!!

Seriously, I agree with the people that say if it offends you, then don't buy from those companies. Speak with your wallet, that's how you get things done. I think it's obvious that the majority have no problem with it, or else these companies wouldn't still be doing it. Personally, it doesn't offend me. At the same time, it doesn't make me want to buy certain products either.

And before you get carried away feeling sorry for the "poor girls" in the ads, remember, they were lined up auditioning for it most of the time.

 

[Freedom_fighter_in_IL]

And to make it THR relevant, the ads do NOT turn me off guns, or guys who shoot. Maybe we could get some male eye candy in there? (Are there any advertisers or editors reading this?) To get upset about it would be like going in a locker room and then getting mad when guys act like guys.

HA!!!!! Our female reader has SPOKEN!!!!!! Take that prudes!!!!!

 

[mortablunt]

We could always use more beautiful women in little clothing with guns. It's a basic marketing technique.

 

[browningguy]

It's fine with me, I buy the product based on the product itself, but I don't mind seeing attractive women in bikinis.

Your options are freedom of expression, or turn the US into Iran.

 

[Nushif]

I think getting ruffled at the idea of a babe in a gun ad pretty well defines "prude".

I only get annoyed at them when it's one of those crappy photos with a model who clearly neither knows nor cares how to actually handle a firearms.

Pretty much this.

Even the word "accceptable" to me reeks of victorian "morals." Rather dear sir, this is unacceptable. I must ask you to remain calm. Indeed, most offputting.

What bugs me is yes, the fact that instead of snagging a good looking female shooter they usually get the boss's girlfriend in her early 80's perm and too much unsubtle make-up just because they probably find it "unacceptable" to solicit the services of modeling from another female.
My wife has been nude in arts projects FFS, one in chains and a headscarf ... shocked yet? I love a good looking woman looking good while doing something she likes, or can even remotely get into. The only thing that bugs me about most advertising is that when they're selling me a wrench they have a 35 year old californian perma-tanned bag of female hygiene products straight from an LL Bean catalog selling me the wrench, instead of a guy or gal who actually knows how to change a tire, and has the greasy coverall to show for it.

Face it folks. As much as it may be "anything goes" there is an awful lot of prudeness floating around wrapped entirely in "morality" from the 30's, and we all know where legislating morality gets us, right? At least I hope most of the people here are against legislating morality. I really do hope.