Speaking with Alan Mossberg

Shooting Industry, Jan, 1991 by Waldo Lydecker

SI: Haven't you perhaps forgotten the lesson taught Ruger some years ago by the singularly most devastating advertising response the firearms industry ever saw, S&W's "Thicker May Be Better In Burgers and Shakes." ad?

AIM: Campaigns take different tones, and we now have - because you are sitting here today, and because of other things that are happening - we now have the attention of the shooting industry. And many more people have called up- distributors, dealers and customers and said "I never considered that. I want one for my wife! Almost everyone who has come into this factory as a visitor has left with placing an order, saying "Send one to my local dealer! I want to get one for my wife... she would never have a gun in the house before, but this is what she needs."

It's going to be a tough sell, and because it's a tough sell, we're planning a series of very tough ads to get the attention of people. But the feedback has been extremely positive...

SI: But you haven't gotten any direct feedback from entities such as Smith & Wesson, such as Ruger, such as Colt?

AIM: No, not formally. I will say this, that a salesman from a handgun company, which I will not identify, did comment to one of our salesman when they were discussing what business looked like for 1991. The handgun individual said, "Well, we have two forecasts: one without your HS 410, and one if you get into full production on it." Now that was said in jest, but half of what's said in jest, you know ... there's always some truth in those remarks.

SI: If a firestorm of angry response lands on the doorstep of O.F. Mossberg's & Sons from others in the industry, and you start getting hotline phone calls from S&W's Steve Melvin about using one of his revolvers in your ads, or Colt's Ron Stilwell complains about bashing handguns, or Ruger's Gary French says "What the hell are you guys doing down there? We've got enough problems with the press outside," then what?

AIM: Well, let me say this, is this not the U.S.A.?