BASC Fighting Fund - Metro newspaper advert

[Conor O'Gorman]

With one week to go to the election, BASC has used its Fighting Fund to commission a full-page advert in the Metro newspaper which was published today, 26 June, in nine regions across the UK.

The national ad campaign features the key messages about shooting from the latest Value of Shooting report and will be seen by commuters in major metropolitan areas including London, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle and Glasgow.

With a daily circulation of one million, the advert will reach people in areas of the country who are not always familiar with the benefits that shooting provides to the UK economy and the conservation of the countryside.

Value of Shooting Metro ad makes tracks across the UK

With a circulation of 1 million, the Metro advert will reach people in areas of the UK who may not be familiar with the benefits of shooting.

basc.org.uk

 

[Conor O'Gorman]

 

[Miki]

And the aim of this momentus waste of money is what exactly ?

 

[Stalker62]

Poor old BASC...


For the record, I am a member, and I am OK with this.

 

[oystercatcher87]

Hmmmm...... would be interesting to hear any feedback / response from the campaign.

I can't help but feel that there may be other demographics that might be more persuadable / persuaded on the benefits of shooting...

 

[Conor O'Gorman]

View attachment 371709

Poor old BASC...


For the record, I am a member, and I am OK with this.

Very true. Over on PW there is a suggestion we should be doing this more often. Regardless of what BASC does or does not do in the press, nothing stopping each of us offering stories with pics to our local newspapers about shooting or something inter-related to shooting - conservation related stories always get used, but it could also be about a local clay ground or rifle range doing a charity event and so on.

 

[Stalker62]

I can't help but feel that there may be other demographics that might be more persuadable / persuaded on the benefits of shooting...

 

[oystercatcher87]

View attachment 371718

Very good point!! However I feel there's quite a big chunk of the population in between the "converted" and the proper metropolitan people in the large cities that the campaign targets (no pun intended)

Don't want to be negative- it can't be a bad thing. Genuinely interested to hear the feedback.

Best thing we can all do is get friends and family involved in country pursuits, invite a mate beating, give a work colleague some venison, take someone fishing...

 

[Tony Morgan]

And the aim of this momentus waste of money is what exactly ?

Momentous

'.......the benefits that shooting provides to the UK economy and the conservation of the countryside.'

Which bit of this don't you understand?

 

[Steve Q]

And the aim of this momentus waste of money is what exactly ?

Miki,
Are you a subscription paying BASC member?
If not, then your opinion is meaningless.
If you are then might I suggest you email Ian Bell with a well founded argument as to why the effort is wasted.
I look forward to seeing whether you contribute to BASC or not.

 

[Miki]

Miki,
Are you a subscription paying BASC member?
If not, then your opinion is meaningless.
If you are then might I suggest you email Ian Bell with a well founded argument as to why the effort is wasted.
I look forward to seeing whether you contribute to BASC or not.

@Steve Q
No, I am not a subscription paying BASC member (any more).
I'm sorry you find my opinion "meaningless".

Would it help you understand my point of view if I said it was this sort of 'missalignment of opinion and total lack of financial trasparency' that caused me to leave in the first place ?
Could perhaps Ian Bell, or one of his staff, could explain the 'aim' of this particular effort (ie a full-page advert in the Metro newspaper which was published today, 26 June, in nine regions across the UK) ?

For clarity @Steve Q my questions is; What does BASC hope to gain ?
Perhaps Connor O'Gorman, the person who brought this to my/our/this forums attention, could answer/explain ?

I have more questions but I doubt they will be answered, for starters; How much did the full-page advert in the Metro newspaper which was published today, 26 June, in nine regions across the UK, cost ?

 

[tonyshooter]

I am totally supportive of this Metro Ad.

Our local newspaper " the Sheffield Star " had something similar "advertised " a wile ago and it proved quite positive !

 

[Steve Q]

Whilst I am obviously not privy to the costs, the intent seems obvious.
A significant number of parliamentary candidates, and a large proportion of the public view shooting as either a) wealthy toffs blasting defenceless dicky birds out of the sky before roaring off in fuel guzzling 4x4's, ......or.. b) tradesmen in knackered vans, blasting clay pigeons and littering the countryside with plastic cartridges, lead shot, and broken clays that take 10,000 years to decompose.
The ad appears to be an effort to demonstrate the benefits of shooting, and the accompanying conservation efforts, in an attempt to garner some support before our sport is wiped out.
I contacted my local Labour candidate, who responded very swiftly to admit she knows nothing at all about shooting, the associated conservation, firearms licensing, or who shoots what.

You may not agree with the BASC effort, but what is your shooting organisation doing? I have not seen anything from other organisations, other than advertising their insurance policies!

 

[Cranborne]

I'm a member and am happy that BASC is taking this action. Otherwise we're just presenting Chris Packham et al with an open goal.

 

[Liveonce]

I'm a member and am happy that BASC is taking this action

totally agree, we need to be more proactive in educating the public to the benefits of shooting and conservation.

 

[Miki]

<snip>

You may not agree with the BASC effort, but what is your shooting organisation doing? I have not seen anything from other organisations, other than advertising their insurance policies!

My shoooting organisation commissioned the report, along with 23 other rural organisations.
They paid Cognisense (a Northern Ireland Company based in Belfast) to produce the report based on data that they (and others) provided.

Here's the list ... Partners - The Value of Shooting

 

[GlennUK]

Miki,
Are you a subscription paying BASC member?
If not, then your opinion is meaningless.
If you are then might I suggest you email Ian Bell with a well founded argument as to why the effort is wasted.
I look forward to seeing whether you contribute to BASC or not.

On the contrary, i would argue that BASC are seeking to influence those who are specifically not members, whether Miki likes it or not it may have some positive impact.

Im a member too, have been for ages. FWIW my view is it doesnt particularly matter of youre a member of BASC, as long as shooters are members of at least one 'lobbying' group supporting their pastime.

 

[Conor O'Gorman]

@Steve Q
No, I am not a subscription paying BASC member (any more).
I'm sorry you find my opinion "meaningless".

Would it help you understand my point of view if I said it was this sort of 'missalignment of opinion and total lack of financial trasparency' that caused me to leave in the first place ?
Could perhaps Ian Bell, or one of his staff, could explain the 'aim' of this particular effort (ie a full-page advert in the Metro newspaper which was published today, 26 June, in nine regions across the UK) ?

For clarity @Steve Q my questions is; What does BASC hope to gain ?
Perhaps Connor O'Gorman, the person who brought this to my/our/this forums attention, could answer/explain ?

I have more questions but I doubt they will be answered, for starters; How much did the full-page advert in the Metro newspaper which was published today, 26 June, in nine regions across the UK, cost ?

Constructive criticism is absolutely fine by me and hopefully is motivated by a dislike for paying for adverts in newspapers rather than a dislike of BASC. In the OP I summarised the article. More context in the article itself:

Value of Shooting Metro ad makes tracks across the UK

I think you mentioned before on here that you are a member of SACS and they are one of the supporting organisations to the Value of Shooting report, which is great. I understand that in the coming weeks, months and years the 24 partner and supporting organisations involved in producing the report will all be trying to get some of the key facts and figures from the report seen by people outside our own audience in diverse and multiple ways. BASC paying for an advert in Metro newspapers ahead of the general election is just one way of doing so and I take on board your view that this was a waste of money. If you have suggestions on other ways of getting our message across to wider population do let me know and I will highlight with colleagues.

Right now, the key thing is to contact parliamentary candidates with some of those facts and figures - which you can do via BASC website - you don't need to be a member to do so, so please take a few minutes to do so and let us know how you get on.

Contact your parliamentary candidates

Or if you prefer use the CA campaign site here and let us know how you get on:

General Election 2024 - Act now to have your voice heard

I was watching a video on Fieldsports Channel last night about the nature march in London attended by all sorts of organisations and environmental campaigners.



A lot of hot air one might say. But I guess the general population consider those people on the march and the organisations to be conservationists - whilst we as shooters are not conservationists. That is a narrative we all need to play a part in changing especially with a change in the political landscape imminent.

Here is a comparison I came up with using the Value of Shooting stats that any of us could use in our own social networks whether online or offline - Shooting is a key driver for nature conservation carried out on 7.6 million hectares in the UK which is an area of land over 20 times bigger than the combined landholdings owned by National Trust (238,663 ha) and RSPB (134,356 ha).

Interested in any other suggestions for useful comparisons drawing off the Value of Shooting report, which can be downloaded here:

https://valueofshooting.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/The-Value-of-Shooting-2024-.pdf

 

[GlennUK]

Right now, the key thing is to contact parliamentary candidates with some of those facts and figures - which you can do via BASC website - you don't need to be a member to do so, so please take a few minutes to do so and let us know how you get on.

Contact your parliamentary candidates


For what its worth contacted all PFCC candidates pre the local elections, and have done the same for the general election. You will probably be unsurprised to know that both Reform and Conservatives have both responded positively, both times. I have not had any response from the Labour candidate yet.

 

[Liveonce]

likewise no response from the labour candidate, not that I will be voting labour.