The Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence and ad agency FCB have created the “Teddy Gun,” a non-functioning gun that resembles a teddy bear, to show how much easier it is to bring to market a gun as opposed to a cuddly teddy bear.
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The website created for the initiative, teddygun.com, shows a long list of regulations meant to protect children set by the American Society for Testing and Materials International that toy makers must follow compared to a $150 license required for gun manufacturers by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
“The Teddy Gun is a profound yet tragically ironic symbol of the absence of government regulations of one of the most dangerous consumer products,” said Colleen Daley, executive director, ICHV. “Our goal with Teddy Gun is to raise awareness and encourage elected officials to support measures that can and will save lives.”
The Teddy Gun will be on exhibit in April at the John Hancock building in Chicago, then travel to Springfield, IL and Washington, D.C.
The exhibit is a follow-up to the “Unforgotten” campaign created by ICHV and FCB in 2015 that featured memorials of actual victims of gun violence.
Award-winning film director Ben Flaherty has created a documentary film highlighting the creation, design, development and production of the Teddy Gun.
PR, influencer marketing and social media shop Current is handling media relations for the campaign. They have worked with ICHV the past two years.
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