Would gun marketing control be more effective than gun control?

[melm00se]

5. I was going to post that too

Firearm manufacturers advertise in channels that are outside the regulatory powers of the federal government:

Magazines
Internet ads
and the like.

The bulk (if not all) firearm advertising is more a case of narrowcasting leveraging magazines specifically targeting gun owners.

When was the last time anyone saw a print firearm advertising in a mainstream magazine? an electronic ad on TV? radio?

Tobacco ads on TV and radio were banned under the FCC's airwave regulatory powers. The tobacco industry, under the settlement agreement stemming from civil actions, voluntarily accepted bans on transit and billboard advertisements, paid brand product placement, cartoons, tobacco brand sponsorships of sporting events and concerts. While not specifically spelled out in the settlement agreement, magazines and other print tobacco ads, magazines, for the most part, do not accept tobacco ads.

Government regulation banning firearm ads using non-governmentally regulated media would rapidly run into 1st Amendment issues and would get bounced by the 1st trial court a lawsuit would hit.