Mediaboss Marketing

When CEOs from more than 220 U.S. companies released a letter demanding the Senate "take immediate action" on gun violence, it was the first time weve seen a large coalition of executives make a unified plea.

Why it matters: It signals a shift in corporate Americas tolerance for gun violence. But individual companies, like Dick's Sporting Goods, have been at it for a while and Dick's experience can give us an idea of what's ahead for the other companies.

Flashback: After the Parkland shooting in 2018, CEO Ed Stack told stakeholders, I dont want to be part of the story anymore and methodically pulled assault-style weapons from the shelves for good.

Between the lines: It's obviously risky for a gun retailer to wade into the Second Amendment debate, and these corporate actions initially cost the retailer millions, but Dicks made up for it over time through apparel sales, according to a Harvard Business School case study.

State of play: Dicks has continued to lobby and donate to groups like Sandy Hook Promise and Everytown, but a spokesperson declined to elaborate on future actionable steps, beyond signing the letter.

The bottom line: The current CEO letter has 50% more signatures than it did in 2019. It will be harder for other large consumer brands to dodge the issue as more executives weigh in and more companies, like Dicks, take action.

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What happened when Dick's Sporting Goods took a stand on guns - Axios