This is my go-to water cup. It features two well-known Texas brands, cooler-maker YETI and delicious, delicious Whataburger. It keeps my ice water cold in the harsh environs of my air-conditioned office. ‘Twas a silly purchase — a Christmas gift to myself — and probably overpriced for what it is. So I won’t be blowing it up, crushing it or otherwise mangling it as some people are doing to their gear in response to a National Rifle Association tirade about YETI.
… NRA supporters had taken to destroying Yeti coolers in a variety of explosive ways. Some filled the cooler with Tannerite explosive rifle targets and, like Atkinson, shot it and blew it up in a field. Others shot holes through the stainless steel Yeti tumblers in their back yards or basements. One man crushed a Yeti tumbler in a vise.
Why? The NRA sent out a missive to its members claiming that YETI was distancing itself from the organization.
Suddenly, without prior notice, YETI has declined to do business with The NRA Foundation saying they no longer wish to be an NRA vendor, and refused to say why. They will only say they will no longer sell products to The NRA Foundation. That certainly isn’t sportsmanlike. In fact, YETI should be ashamed. They have declined to continue helping America’s young people enjoy outdoor recreational activities. These activities enable them to appreciate America and enjoy our natural resources with wholesome and healthy outdoor recreational and educational programs.
Shocking! Only …. is that what really happened? YETI says no. (That’s an attempt to link to their Facebook post on the matter. Hope it works.)
At issue, the cooler-making company says, are discount programs that were changed.
A few weeks ago, YETI notified the NRA Foundation, as well as a number of other organizations, that we were eliminating a group of outdated discounting programs. When we notified the NRA Foundation and the other organizations of this change, YETI explained that we were offering them an alternative customization program broadly available to consumers and organizations, including the NRA Foundation. These facts directly contradict the inaccurate statement the NRA-ILA distributed on April 20.
I haven’t really been tracking the boycott/corporate pressure efforts against the NRA following the Parkland shootings in Florida, but perhaps it’s fair to say the gun lobby group is feeling the heat? This smells like a desperate lashing out on their part.
A few more thoughts:
1. It is fun to blow things up and crush them, but as a move against YETI, it seems misplaced. They still have your money, but now you don’t have a cooler.
2. Taking your business elsewhere is a wonderful ability to have in our consumer economy. That cuts both ways, though. When Dick’s Sporting Goods announced they wouldn’t sell AR-15-style rifles anymore, anecdotally I came across just as many people saying they’d start to shop there as those who vowed never to enter again. I expect YETI to experience something similar.
3. I loved this part of the NRA statement especially: “In fact, YETI should be ashamed. They have declined to continue helping America’s young people enjoy outdoor recreational activities.” Because the NRA is the only way to help people enjoy outdoor recreation? Right. That wouldn’t be true even if YETI had truly severed ties.