When a feud between Yeti coolers and the NRA heated up on social media over the weekend, competing cooler companies smelled opportunity. , , , and 聽have published聽social-media posts expressing聽support for the Constitution and the Second Amendment. Some are even offering special discounts or donating partial proceeds to the NRA. 聽
This聽all began last Friday, when former NRA president Marion Hammer sent a to NRA members alleging that Yeti had done an about-face when it聽decided to halt business with the gun-rights organization鈥檚 charitable arm, the NRA Foundation. On Monday, Yeti released its own arguing that Hammer鈥檚 claims were聽false, and that the company was聽simply doing away with an 鈥渙utdated discounting program鈥 that many organizations, including the NRA, benefited from.
But the two and a half days between Hammer鈥檚 letter and Yeti鈥檚 response was enough time for a Twitter storm to gain momentum, as thousands of enraged gun-rights enthusiasts and NRA members took to the platform to voice their disapproval of Yeti鈥檚 decision. Historically, hunters and anglers have been a primary market for the high-end cooler industry. Much of the anger directed at Yeti centers on the feeling that the brand has abandoned its core fan base. So it鈥檚 not surprising that other companies would rush to align themselves with that core in general鈥攁nd in some cases, the Second Amendment in particular.聽
On Sunday afternoon聽(a full day before Yeti made its public response to Hammer鈥檚 letter, mind you), cooler company Rtic posted a photo of the Second Amendment to its Facebook page, garnering over 200,000 likes and 10,000 comments. The next day, Pelican and Orca coolers joined the fray.聽鈥淲e are proud to say we support the constitution,鈥 Pelican wrote on Twitter. The company聽announced that through April 30th customers could use the promo code PELICANPROUD to donate $10 of their Pelican Cooler purchases to the NRA.
Orca鈥檚 CEO Cliff Walker took to Facebook to the barrage of inquiries about the company's position on the Second Amendment. 鈥淚 often think bigger companies forget what got them there,鈥 the post reads. 鈥淥RCA will always support our 2nd Amendment rights….聽Rest assured, we will continue to support our customers, our constitution, and our great country.鈥 Orca is offering 20 percent off its entire line through April 30.聽
Tuesday morning, Bison Coolers tweeted, 鈥淥nly tap LIKE if you love a #2A supporting, family-owned, #MadeInUSA cooler company!鈥
Gauging by the continued Twitter outrage directed at Yeti, these companies won鈥檛 have much trouble converting new business. Hundreds of NRA members and supporters have tweeted about destroying or throwing away their Yeti coolers. Many responded directly to Yeti鈥檚 statement on Twitter, expressing doubt and distrust. 鈥淚鈥檓 sure they鈥檙e already feeling the effects of their actions over the weekend. I鈥檓 sure that鈥檚 the reason for this statement. #Yeti can鈥檛 have it both ways,鈥澛爏aid Twitter user The Brettman.聽One South Carolina man went聽so far as to pack his Yeti with (legally purchased) explosives and it with an AR-15.
Neither Yeti nor the NRA have made any follow-up statements, and without additional details about the specific nature of the discontinued discount program and the program that has replaced it, the he-said-she-said continues without resolution. Though it looks like many former Yeti fans are already switching sides.