So what I see is yeti discontinued their discount benefits with the NRA, and in its place offered some crappy cooler customization program that is basically available to everyone willing to pay for it. - This wasn't exclusive to the NRA, there were other groups involved in the same program. As i said, throw in some others to make it appear as though it wasn't just about the NRA.add some deniability.
I don't see this as any different than Delta, Enterprise, or anybody else ending their discount agreements with the NRA. - It isn't even close to the same thing. The examples you mentioned were politically motivated. The YETI program change has absolutely nothing to do with politics. Sure it didnt, they just all of a sudden ended a discount program with the NRA which magically corresponded to the same timeframe other companies were doing the exact same thing. Just really unfortunate timing on behalf of the Yeti brand development team right.
Yeti however was smart enough to include some other companies in getting the axe to make it appear as though they're not picking on the NRA directly and it was more of a business decision. - Nobody got the ax. All of the companies can still buy from YETI. That's like me saying "yeah we're ending our partnership and removing your discount but you're still more than welcome to purchase at full price. No harm no foul right.
The brand development people at Yeti are not stupid, in no way would they have ever risked this negative PR at this moment if they didn't absolutely want away from the NRA. - Again, YETI isn't moving away from the NRA. The NRA Foundation put out the release, containing complete lies about the situation. I think the NRA put out a PR release calling a spade a spade. Yeti pulled their discount program just like Delta and Enterprise. Yeti just decided to take a more covert approach by saying it was a business decision that also involved others, instead of the public relations stunt of taking a side. The only reason Yeti would ever do this right now and even risk the misunderstanding in the court of public opinion is if they wanted out. They wanted to cut ties and did so, but unlike others who had the balls to say why, Yeti left themselves a built in excuse to save face.