In marketing, rebranding means you’re redefining the core essence of your brand. Sometimes the rebranding is as simple as changing the logo as in the example below:
Kalashnikov did get a new logo, but they went a step beyond that:
Announcing a revamp of its corporate image, the Kalashnikov Concern said it would start using “protecting peace” as its slogan and adopt a more angular black and red logo.
In a statement explaining the thinking behind the rebrand, the company said: “The idea is that weapons should help keep the peace, uphold justice, dignity and the right to life.
“Weapons make a man courageous, alert and create high sense of responsibility. Weapons protect the weak from the strong.
…
“With a weapon in hands, people can ensure a peaceful future for their families, the nation and the country.”
Source
Now it’s true that some refer to guns as peacekeepers, you shoot the bad guy and keep the peace. It’s also true that if you want peace, you prepare for war. Those are not my words, but a famous saying that precedes the invention of firearms.
But telling the media that weapons make a man courageous implies that he had no courage before acquiring his weapon, in other words, he was a coward. This was a stupid thing to say. We get weapons because we are not afraid to fight and win. It is the non-violent, the victim, that man who doesn’t resist that has no courage.
It is also stupid to think that the AK-47, a weapon that has been used by the good and the bad alike, is a peacekeeper. Those warlords in Africa were not making peace, they were making war. And while I don’t blame the AK-47 or the machete for their actions, I do think this rebranding was dumb.
So here’s my suggestion, don’t rebrand it as the Peace Gun, rebrand it as the FREEDOM gun. Rightly or wrongly, every man that used the AK-47 claims he was fighting for freedom. Maybe it’s not the most original rebranding, but it’s certainly better than the Peace gun.
On the other hand, if they wanted to get publicity, then perhaps they hit the nail in the head. But then again, I’d rather get publicity from the people that actually love guns and intend to buy one. Getting covered by The Guardian and RawStory does nothing for gun sales.
