MetLife, rental car agencies dump NRA discounts

Several businesses with ties to the National Rifle Association are breaking up with the group amid mounting pressure from gun-control proponents following the Parkland, Fla. school shooting.

MetLife said it would stop providing discounts for auto and home insurance. "We value all our customers but have decided to end our discount program with the NRA," the company told USA TODAY in a statement.

Cybersecurity firm Symantec, which offered NRA discounts to its LifeLock identity theft protection service and Norton anti-virus software, told USA TODAY on Friday that it had "stopped its discount program with the National Rifle Association."

SimpliSafe, a home security services company, also ended its NRA promotions. "We have discontinued our existing relationship with the NRA," CEO Chad Laurans said in a statement.

Rental car companies Hertz, Enterprise and Avis Budget are also ending their NRA discounts.

First National Bank of Omaha was among the first to ditch the NRA when it announced Thursday that it would end a Visa credit card it had offered with NRA branding, citing a deluge of customer complaints.

First National Bank of Omaha's breakup with the NRA put an end to a card that offered 5% back on gas and sporting goods purchases, according to an NRA blog, which boasted that "every time you pack up and head out on a hunt or to the range…. you’re putting money back in your pocket."

The moves suggest the NRA is losing a degree of support in the corporate world amid a firestorm of criticism over the group's support for gun rights despite recent killing sprees.

"Banks and other companies are sensitive to being on the wrong side of a social media campaign, which can spread pretty quickly these days," said Erik Gordon, a University of Michigan business professor who has taught classes on marketing. "They don’t want to risk having people march or boycott."

Still, Gordon said a widespread movement against NRA-affiliated companies was "unlikely" because most consumers don't change their behavior based on political issues.

The NRA did not respond to a request for comment. CEO Wayne LaPierre told the Conservative Political Action Conference on Thursday that “as usual the opportunists wasted not one second to exploit tragedy for gain," adding that gun control advocates and the media “hate the NRA, they hate the Second Amendment, they hate individual freedom.”

ThinkProgress, a liberal website that describes itself as an editorially independent project of the Center for American Progress Action Fund, claimed credit for bringing attention to the corporate NRA connections.

Companies that offer discounts to NRA members are "making membership to the group, which opposes nearly all gun safety legislation, more enticing," ThinkProgress wrote.

More:NRA-branded Visa card dropped by First National Bank of Omaha

More:The Parkland survivors started a movement when they took on gun violence. Here's how it happened.

More:NRA's Wayne LaPierre says gun control advocates 'hate individual freedom'

"Much like AARP or AAA, the organization promotes its discounts for members as a selling point for why people should join," ThinkProgress wrote. "The 'valuable 5-star benefits' promised include not just a subscription to an NRA magazine and a gun-owner liability protection policy but also savings on insurance, identity theft protection, hearing aids, car rentals, moving vans, shipping, and even wine."

The NRA Business Alliance lists hundreds of companies that offer discounts to the pro-gun-rights interest group's millions of members. Many are small businesses, including apparel makers, attorneys, accounting services, sporting goods stores, storage companies and gun shops.

But some are major national and international companies. They include:

—FedEx. The NRA Business Alliance says on its website that has "teamed up" with FedEx "to offer BIG savings" on the shipment giant's services. 

A FedEx spokesman was not available for comment.

—Symantec. The cybersecurity company's LifeLock identity theft protection service for businesses and its Norton anti-virus software had both offered discounts to NRA members.

—Enterprise Holdings: The parent company of car rental brands Enterprise, Alamo and National announced on Twitter that it's ending discount deals with the NRA.

—Hertz. Like Enterprise, car rental company Hertz also ended discounts to NRA members.

—Avis and Budget: The company that owns the Avis and Budget rental car firms provides discounts to NRA members but said it would end that offer as of March 26.

—TrueCar. The online car-buying service says that NRA members save an average of nearly $3,400 off the retail price of new and used vehicles.

TrueCar representatives did not respond to a request seeking comment.

—MetLife: The insurer had offered discounts to NRA members on auto and home policies before axing the deal.

—SimpliSafe: The home security company had offered a special promotion to NRA members, but that ended Friday.

Follow USA TODAY reporter Nathan Bomey on Twitter @NathanBomey.