SUPGV "Guns With History" (2015) 3:27 (USA)

First States United To Prevent Violence gave us a spot featuring famous gun owner Snoop Dogg telling us to urge our accountants to divest the gun stocks from our 401ks. Now here's a stunt from States United To Prevent Gun Violence where first time gun buyers are dissuaded in from buying guns once they realize the guns they were about to purchase were the very same guns used by all kinds of crazy people or irresponsible people. This stunt is made for the Upworthy generation, and by that I mean it is superficial and incredibly reductive. For instance, ignoring the root cause of the mass murders they mention which of course is mental health.

After the stunt a couple of New Yorkers are interviewed about their experience.. And that's where the stunt breaks down for me. Despite the well-intentioned idea, there's an underlying insinuation that all of us are one handgun away from becoming insane cold-blooded murderers were it not for a group of lobbyists, I mean "concerned citizens," ready to help.

Moreover, Grey is an ad agency famous for making all kinds of advertising for clients like KOOL cigarettes, processed foods like the TV dinner Lean Cuisine, and alcohol brand Mike's Hard Lemonade: products that have the potential to kill us. Not that I'm pointing out hypocrisy or anything...

Client: States United Against Gun Violence
AGENCY - GREY NY
Tor Myhren Worldwide Chief Creative Officer
Per Pedersen Deputy Worldwide Chief Creative Officer
Andreas Dahlqvist Chief Creative Officer
Stephen Krauss Executive Creative Director
Ari Halper Executive Creative Director
Marco Pupo Creative Director
Joao Coutinho Creative Director
Bennett McCarroll EVP Director Broadcast Production
Floyd Russ Producer
Elizabeth Gilchrist VP Account Director
Katie Stirn Account Supervisor
Emma Tonetti Project Manager
Christopher Izzo Digital Production
Jayne Horowitz VP Art Producer
PRODUCTION COMPANY - RIVAL SCHOOL PICTURES
Andrew Lane Director
James Blom Executive Producer/Partner
Alihan Karagul Executive Producer/Partner
EDITORIAL – VISION
Dominic Martimucci Editor
POST-PRODUCTION – THE MILL