Media Contact: Georgia Seltzer, (202) 822-8200 x104, gseltzer@vpc.org

It’s all about marketing (including a Barbie assault pistol) at the largest show of new guns in the U.S. – the NRA Annual Meeting

As part of its ongoing research on the gun lobby and firearms industry, VPC staff have attended the NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits each year since the early 1990s. The event features the largest show of new guns open to the public.

At this year’s exhibition held last month in Dallas, the VPC’s staff collected industry information and attended the annual meeting of members (defined mostly by the NRA’s leadership working to avoid questions from members angered by the group’s recent scandals).

The NRA and gun industry use the show in their ongoing marketing efforts targeting women, children, and communities of color, while working to resell the primary market of white males with increasingly militarized firearms, such as assault weapons.

Photos showcasing these marketing efforts, taken by VPC staff, can be seen below.