Much political commentary has been given on the shooting of Trayvon Martin. It’s been spent on the issue of race or the minute contradictions and tiniest details of evidence. These are of course extremely valid topics of discussion, but there is one issue that has unfortunately been largely ignored by politicians and members of the press: gun control.
For most of the discussion, media tends to point at the lenient “Stand Your Ground” gun law and largely neglects to investigate it much further. As for our politicians, the president and democrats should be addressing the greater issue of gun control, but unfortunately that’s not the case.
However, outside of politics change in the nation can find itself in a number of ways. And one of these ways of change can be found in our market. Business leaders and those involved in public relations and marketing can utilize this tragedy of Trayvon Martin for a greater good, and not only for their business.
To exploit a tragedy would to use it for only one’s own gain, but if your product or service can help others, it is a part of your social responsibility to explore the opportunities.
It’s a sensitive topic, and it makes sense for it to be. But before conclusions are drawn, one ought to consider all aspects of such opportunities available and look at how tragedy has been handled in the market in the past.
One should note that Apple’s online media store, iTunes, promotes the music of artists such as Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston moments after they are deceased. It is perfectly understandable how such promotions could bother us, but consider this fact: I hadn’t given a listen to any of Whitney Houston’s music until after her death and I saw her on iTunes. Apple worked to remind me of the loss of a creative human being and the work she had produced.
With regard to the death of Trayvon Martin, Seeking Alpha contributor Adam Gefvert wrote an article suggesting that investment in stun guns could be a wise market move.
Capitalism can have a conscience and I argue that it would be a wise business move on the part of companies such as Taser producing stun guns and less-lethal weapons to open new conversations with potential clients and customers. It would not only be a wise business move, but also a greater moral move.
If you can work your business towards profit and at the same time decrease the risk of sadness in this world, you should do so. Yes, stun guns are not perfect and they can be lethal. But a very big difference is made once one is packing electricity instead of bullets. In fact, according to one of Taser’s product pages, “in 1,201 cases 99.75% people subjected to a TASER ECD had no significant injuries.”
None of us know the exact details about what happened that night with Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman. But, we do know that a gun was used and that it killed an unarmed 17-year-old boy. If the act truly was in self-defense, a death may have been prevented if Zimmerman was equipped with a stun gun rather than a gun.
Within our businesses we should always consider what the right thing to do is, and not just for ourselves or our clients. As a leader or part of a PR or marketing team one should always be looking for such opportunities to do good. We have a responsibility to do so.
