I have been so busy getting my last university assignments out of the way that I haven’t had a chance to blog as much as I would like so far this month. I’ve got a lot to say so have decided to break it up into smaller topics
Part I – What is real breast cancer action and awareness? How can you help?
In America there has been a bit of a backlash amongst my breast cancer friends about “pinkwashing” and also the idea that just by putting a pink ribbon on it whether you be a person or product you are doing enough for breast cancer awareness and supporting people with breast cancer, and then of course there are the things that are pinked that are just wrong or misguided bad taste.
It’s interesting that here in New Zealand the breast cancer charities seem to have heard that there is a bit of pink fatigue and actively dialled down their pinking this month. But in doing so they are not necessarily doing me a service. All the Breast Cancer Action Month’s events seem to have mainly been at the beginning of the month and not a lot is getting media attention. It makes me sad that something like the WIMA ride didn’t get much publicity, although they raised a substantial amount of money for the NZBCF. Like wise the Timtam promotion where instead of getting you to buy biscuits they are actively saying donate and we will match it - the money is going towards Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition
From the states we get good campaigns such as Puma’s Project Pink which is rewarding with $1 per tweet towards Breast Cancer charity that is voted on by the people taking part. This is giving power to the people as to which breast cancer charity they will support and letting people do something to raise money that doesnt necessarily mean buying the product.
While both Puma and Timtams (Arnotts) are getting some advertising media mileage out of the campaigns they are not directly profitting from what people are doing to make a donation (although Puma assumedly will make a profit out of selling Project Pink branded gear) and to me this is the key to getting people to donate wisely. Although it is an American site “Think before you pink” has some thought provoking questions about how to intelligently back the cause
I’m not saying don’t buy your pink ribbons or donate on Pink Ribbon day but donate more directly or where a significant amount is going to the cause.
Its finding that balance between enough awareness and getting people to donate to what is still a good cause. or using the pink ribbon arbitrarily to boost sales and giving a tiny or undisclosed sum to Breast Cancer charities
If you want to donate in New Zealand consider making a direct donation to one of these charities Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition, Sweet Louise, or New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation
