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The pink campaign has been highly criticized this year on the basis that many companies take benefits from customers’ preference for pink products. While there is nothing wrong in buying products with the pink ribbon, the companies use it more like a marketing tool than a way of supporting women suffering from breast cancer.
Breast cancer awareness month may become a marketing tool for some corporations, experts say.
October is the breast cancer awareness month and many companies color their products in pink as a way of showing their support. The help they offer is actually insignificant in comparison with the positive imagine the company gains.
The pink campaign has been highly criticized this year on the basis that many companies take benefits from customers’ preference for pink products. While there is nothing wrong in buying products with the pink ribbon, the companies use it more like a marketing tool than a way of supporting women suffering from breast cancer.
The history of the pink ribbon started in 1991. It was made by Charlotte Haley together with the following statement: “The National Cancer Institute’s annual budget is $1.8 billion. Only 5% goes for cancer prevention. Help us wake up legislators and America by wearing this ribbon.”
Thanks to her efforts, the pink ribbon’s popularity grew. After a year, Estee Lauder Company asked her to use the ribbon in a campaign, but she refused for fear that the campaign might become a marketing tool.
Karuna Jaggar, CEO of Breast Cancer Action, warns about the companies’ greed and about the fact that they don’t help the organizations too much. It is very important for consumers to become conscious and to ask some critical questions before actually buying a pink product.
First of all, consumers should ask themselves if the money they spend on a pink product actually goes to an organization. Many organizations put an emphasis on raising awareness, rather than actually contributing to research.
Another useful question would be how much money actually goes to an organization. In many cases, if you purchase products totaling hundred or thousand dollars, the supported organization receives only $1.
Moreover, consumers should pay attention to the pink products they are buying. Very often they are not healthy products. Under the beautiful and attractive packaging, they hide toxic chemicals.
In addition, the reason why more and more people are against pink items is that they are not sure if the money goes in the right place. For this reason, they prefer to make donations directly to the organizations, rather than buying tricky pink products. Charity Navigator and Givewell may help you choose the proper organization.
Image Source: Wikimedia
As a double survivor, I am incensed at the shameless usage of life threatening disease to increase sales. Yesterday, I found d an ad in our local paper announced icing that the local Chevrolet dealer was “going pink” for the month of October to promote breast cancer awareness. Wrong, wrong wrong! I would be more inclined to purchase a vehicle from them if they gave all their profits to Susan g komen. I a make it a point to not support any of the pink bandwagon. Give locally, support local people in their diagnoses, give back if you are lucky enough to survive it, and avoid the pinkness. It is truly the “blush of shame”