NRA escalates breakup with former longtime ad agency Ackerman McQueen in new lawsuit
The National Rifle Association wants to further cut ties with estranged advertising agency Ackerman McQueen, its longtime public relations firm and “failed” creator of NRATV, according to a lawsuit filed Friday.
The lawsuit filed by the NRA seeks to wipe all references and logos from the organization on Ackerman McQueen’s website, claiming the firm is falsely suggesting the powerful gun lobby continues to be a client. The advertising agency and the NRA broke up in June.
“Ackerman McQueen continues to use the properties of the NRA and extol its relationship with the Association,” Michael J. Collins, a partner at Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors and counsel to the NRA, said in a statement to McClatchy news group. “This is likely to mask a cold reality: the NRA believes Ackerman abused the trust of the Association, took benefits to which it was not entitled, and misled NRA leadership about the value and performance of the agency’s services.”
The lawsuit alleges Ackerman McQueen improperly references the NRA on its website and falsely suggests that it continues to be a client of the ad agency.
Ackerman McQueen fired back in a statement provided to McClatchy, calling the lawsuit “frivolous” and a “new low” that wastes NRA members’ dues. The ad agency said NRA leadership stopped fighting for their members and has instead become a “factory for frivolous lawsuits.”
“With all the smart people that saw this foolish strategy and left, the NRA’s understanding of the Second Amendment, and now apparently the First, seems to be nearing an all-time low.” Ackerman McQueen said in the statement.
“In light of its continual ‘shooting itself in the proverbial foot,’ one can only conclude that the people who are supposedly running this apparently failing organization did not ever believe in the Constitution in the first place. The NRA continues to spend its members’ money on useless fights in an obvious attempt to deflect attention from its dwindling influence across the country.”
The legal action is just the latest salvo in a contentious and costly end to the partnership. The NRA and Ackerman McQueen have filed other lawsuits against each other, alleging “fraudulent billings, betrayal, blackmail and lies,” The Oklahoman reported.
In the latest lawsuit, the NRA includes allegations that Ackerman McQueen was “regularly overcharging and falsifying invoices” and misled its leadership about the success of NRATV.
“The Ackerman website includes references to other failed client representations – to give the false impression that all of the featured campaigns were successful,” according to the lawsuit. “Many of these campaigns, which cost clients tens of millions of dollars, were shut down because of their ineffectiveness, costliness, and Ackerman’s reluctance to provide performance data in accordance with its client obligations.”
Meanwhile, Ackerman McQueen has accused the NRA of failing to pay $1.6 million in bills and “post a $3 million letter of credit,” according to The New York Times.
The new lawsuit cites examples of Ackerman McQueen referencing its work with a “gun rights organization” on the website homepage, videos and photos related to NRATV and more references to the NRA than any other client on its “Gallery” and “Clients” web pages.
“The NRA brings this action to enjoin (Ackerman McQueen) from continuing to falsely associate itself in public as a services provider for the NRA,” according to the lawsuit. “In addition, the NRA brings this action to enjoin any further use of its brand or its property by defendants.”
This story was originally published August 30, 2019 at 1:40 PM.