Sponsorship Launches Retailer’s Responsibility Message to Firearms Owners
‘With Rights Comes Responsibility; Secure Your Firearms’ Pledge Drives Initiative
ST. PAUL, Minn. (April 3, 2013) – Gander Mountain, the nation’s largest retail network of outdoor specialty stores for hunting, fishing, camping, marine and outdoor lifestyle products and services, today announced it will sponsor Michael Waltrip Racing’s No. 15 car driven by NASCAR star Clint Bowyer in the Sprint Cup Series NRA 500 on Saturday, April 13, at Texas Motor Speedway.
During next Saturday’s primetime event, Gander Mountain will showcase on Michael Waltrip Racing’s popular No. 15 car the company’s firearms responsibility call to action: “With Rights Comes Responsibility; Secure Your Firearms.” Beginning this Friday, April 5, Gander Mountain is encouraging firearms owners to take a responsibility pledge at GanderMountain.com and use the hashtag #responsibilitypledge in social media to raise awareness and encourage accountability on the subject of responsible ownership.
“As a leading outdoors retailer, Gander Mountain is committed to the mandate of responsible firearms ownership, and the importance of guarding against firearms getting into the hands of the underaged, untrained and unauthorized,” said Steve Uline, executive vice president of marketing for Gander Mountain. “We believe that with rights comes responsibility. For existing firearms owners and those considering becoming an owner, personal responsibility is paramount.
“Even in the case of owners who understand the importance of responsibility, everyone should take the opportunity to revisit the security of their firearms.”
Gander Mountain’s partnership with Michael Waltrip Racing and Clint Bowyer provides an ideal stage, televised to a nationwide audience during primetime, to deliver the imperative message that responsible firearms ownership should never be optional, Uline said.
“The race track and racing fans are the perfect environment in which to launch our responsible ownership initiative,” Uline said. “In addition to being one of NASCAR’s superstar drivers, Clint Bowyer also is an avid outdoorsman who is personally committed to responsible firearms ownership.”
“Anyone who knows me knows I love to hunt and be outdoors,” Bowyer said. “I’m partnering with Gander Mountain because we both believe that with rights comes responsibility. Most people think they are responsible firearm owners, but we want to make sure that when firearms are stored they are secured and locked up – meaning with gun safes and trigger locks.”
Sponsorship of Bowyer’s No. 15 at Texas is just one facet of Gander Mountain’s integrated marketing and communications effort driving the “With Rights Comes Responsibility; Secure Your Firearms” initiative. In addition to pledge at GanderMountain.com, the company is raising awareness via newspaper advertising, website presence, social media and point-of-sale this month, with additional responsibility initiatives planned for later in the year.
Gander Mountain’s commitment to responsible ownership goes beyond marketing, including training thousands of firearms users annually via safety classes and private instruction. Also, Gander Mountain is initiating a company policy calling for all employees to ask all customers who purchase a firearm if they are properly equipped to safeguard it.
About Gander Mountain
Gander Mountain Company, (www.GanderMountain.com) headquartered in Saint Paul, MN, is the nation’s largest retail network of outdoor specialty stores for hunting, fishing, camping, marine and outdoor lifestyle products and services. Since 1960, the Gander Mountain brand has offered an expanding assortment of competitively priced outdoor equipment, technical apparel, outdoor performance wear and footwear featuring national, regional and specialty brands as well as the company’s owned brands. Focused on a “We Live Outdoors®” culture, Gander Mountain dedicates itself to creating outdoor memories. There are currently 119 conveniently located Gander Mountain outdoor lifestyle stores in 24 states. For the nearest store location call 800-282-5993 or visit www.GanderMountain.com. Gander Mountain is also the parent company of Overton’s (www.overtons.com), a leading catalog and Internet-based retailer of products for boating and other water sports enthusiasts.
About Michael Waltrip Racing
Michael Waltrip Racing, co-owned by two-time Daytona 500 champion Michael Waltrip and Rob Kauffman, fields Toyota Camrys in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS driver Martin Truex Jr. and No. 15 5-hour ENERGY driver Clint Bowyer. Waltrip, Mark Martin and Brian Vickers share driving duties in No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine. In 2007, MWR began fielding fulltime Sprint Cup entries as the flagship team for Toyota Racing Development, USA. MWR owns five Sprint Cup victories. It earned two berths in NASCAR’s 2012 Chase for the Sprint Cup that saw Bowyer finish second and Truex 11th. For more information about Michael Waltrip Racing, please visit www.michaelwaltripracing.com.
Gander Mountain prices are so jacked up they can afford to sponsor several teams.