YETI is a huge brand, certainly around these parts. From fishermen to drunken college students, their costly coolers are marketed with a blend of outdoorsy flavor and a hipster twist. Not long ago YETO opened their very first standalone store, complete with 30.06 and 30.07 signs in their window, banning both concealed and open carry.
For a company whose image was so closely intertwined with the outdoors lifestyle it seemed a little counterproductive to alienate those brand loyalists who made their company what it is. The Internet reminded them of this fact.
According to a local Austin talk show YETI has seen the light and has reversed its position.
YETI’s VP of marketing is pleading ignorance. Given that this is their first brick-and-mortar store (and one that serves booze) they didn’t really know what they were doing.
Plausible. But its also possible YETI was catering to the anti-gun hipster demographic prevalent on the streets of Austin — especially during SXSW (which has now conveniently ended). All’s well that ends well?