As a part of the national, award-winning End Family Fire program, Brady: United Against Gun Violence and the Ad Council have released this PSA developed pro bono by advertising agency Pereira O’Dell in an effort to raise awareness among the millions of new gun owners in the U.S. about the importance of secure firearm storage to prevent gun-related deaths and injuries. This comes at a critical moment as firearms have become the number one killer of children and teens in the U.S. and secure gun storage is proven to help protect our loved ones and communities.
According to recent data, approximately 7.5 million adults in America acquired their first firearm between 2019-2021, with 5.4 million adults bringing firearms into homes that were previously gun free. This spike in first-time gun ownership tracks with record high gun deaths with more Americans dying from gun violence in 2020 and 2021 than in any prior year on record. What many individuals don’t know is that simply storing a firearm securely is a proven method of preventing gun-related deaths and injuries, including unintentional shootings, gun suicide, and intentional shootings. For example, in 75% of youth firearm suicides for which the gun storage method could be identified, the gun was stored loaded and unlocked. Additionally, 76% of school shooters under the age of 18 accessed the gun from the home of family or friends. Tragedies like these could be prevented by limiting firearm access through secure storage.
The PSA campaign is focused on reaching audiences of new gun owners (defined as U.S. adults who acquired their first firearm in 2020 or later) who, according to a 2023 survey fielded by C+R Research on behalf of the Ad Council, overwhelmingly acquire firearms for personal protection. This same study also revealed that only 54% of first-time gun owners report storing all firearms in the home locked and unloaded, demonstrating a critical need for targeted messaging for these audiences on the importance of safe storage.
Filmed from the point of view of unsecured firearms in common places where many new gun owners keep their firearms, this PSA titled “The Threat”–directed by Martin Stirling via production house Partizan–demonstrates that gun owners seeking to protect their loved ones might overlook the threat of family fire, or a shooting that results from someone misusing an unsecured firearm from the home.
“With the rise in first-time gun ownership across the U.S., it’s more important than ever to ensure that these new gun owners understand the life-saving importance of secure storage,” said Pereira O’Dell’s chief creative officer Jason Apaliski. “Creativity can be a powerful force for change, especially when it comes to critical issues like gun safety. Through this campaign, we aim to address the potential dangers of improperly stored firearms and to inspire responsible gun ownership that protects families and communities. We’re proud to partner with Brady and the Ad Council to help make a real impact on reducing gun-related tragedies.”
For the last six years, End Family Fire has educated gun owners around the importance of securely storing firearms. According to an Ad Council study, respondents who are aware of End Family Fire are three times more likely to report seeking information on secure gun storage in the past 12 months, compared to those not aware (36% aware vs. 11% not aware; Source: Ad Council online survey of 1,815 U.S. adults who reside in gun-owning households, fielded by Ipsos April 1, 2024 – June 30, 2024). The End Family Fire program brings gun owners into the conversation about gun violence in the U.S. and makes them part of the solution–driving a culture of responsible gun ownership.
