Think Before you Pink has been raising questions about the "Pink Ribbon" campaigns for years.

[yellowcanine]

Maybe we need to start paying more attention to them.

http://thinkbeforeyoupink.org/

[wtmusic]

1. I wonder how many people who are criticizing this have ever donated to either organization.

IMO very few here agree with the decision, but I've never donated directly to either.

You may yell at me if you like.

[Arkansas Granny]

2. No yelling from me. I had never donated to either until this week.

I sent a donation to PP after hearing about this.

[wtmusic]

4. Perfect AG - that seems like the appropriate response

[yellowcanine]

8. People can criticize whether they have donated or not. These are charitable organizations.

Donations to them are tax deductible - the resulting unpaid taxes affect everyone. So what is done with those contributions is of concern to everyone. Furthermore, part of what you pay for many products goes to the pink ribbon campaign. So you are donating, whether you want to or not.

[wtmusic]

9. Then don't buy those products.

Really.

And regarding taxes - how many people get their panties in a righteous bunch about the unpaid taxes of Focus on the Family, which actively fights Planned Parenthood, gay rights, etc with millions of dollars in contributions?

This is a small percentage of Komen's funding and they fight cancer - everyone's enemy. So WTF.

[yellowcanine]

10. "This is a small percentage of Komen's funding and they fight cancer"

Maybe they do, but if one is giving money one wants to give it to organizations which are most effective and there are legitimate questions being raised about that.

The point is people might not know the issues regarding the pink ribbon campaign and the commercial conflicts of interest. Organizations like "Think Before You Pink" are trying to change that.

As for Focus on the Family - yes I think their tax status should be pulled but can't do anything about that. I recommend people not contribute to them as well.

We have a right and responsibility as tax payers and donors to point out possible abuses - particularly with charities. There are lots of organizations "fighting cancer", heart disease, SIDS, what have you. The fact that they say they are doing this, though, is no reason not to question them and verify that the money is going where they say it is going. Some of the biggest scams going are "charities." And for an organization to appear to be allowing political considerations to influence donation decisions - that is a huge red flag for me, regardless of how much "good" they may be doing.

[obamanut2012]

3. Yes, they have

They are a terrific organization.

It is easy for people to be unknowingly guilted and led to buying pinkwashed consumer goods.

[MineralMan]

5. I've supported PP for a very long time.

From monetary donations to volunteering as an escort when protests happened against the organization.

[BeHereNow]

6. Corporations who sell "Pink" are probably running for cover right now.

I certainly hope so.
BHN

[yellowcanine]

11. I suspect Komen is having huge second thoughts about the decision to cut off PP as well....

Because not only has it backfired - "Big time" to quote the Dickhead, but it has also opened Komen and the Pink Ribbon campaign to increased scrutiny. And so far at least their PR response has been a disaster, to say the least. This will become a case study in how NOT to handle bad publicity in business schools unless they turn it around, and quickly. At the least, some heads need to roll, probably beginning with the CEO and whoever is in charge of PR.

[yellowcanine]

12. Well that didn't take long........

http://www.democraticunderground.com/101443237

[blm]

7. here's Matuschka's Think before you Pink essay

http://www.wtsp.com/news/health/buddycheck10/story.aspx?storyid=152060&catid=282

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"Research from recent study of the effects of cause marketing by two professors at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor found that not only can companies raise prices and make higher profits on the sale of products that benefit a cause, these companies' entire brand portfolios can experience a "spillover" increase in sales and profits, which more than compensates for the money given to charity. The report concluded, "Our results suggest that actions of firms should be looked on with some skepticism by consumers and government officials -- while the firms may be helping with charitable causes, they are also using to increase their own prices and profits."

Ah yes, the profit power of pink and cause marketing is the main reason, come each and every October, that everything turns a rosier shade of pink. The unregulated pink ribbon's usage increases profits. Companies gain significance and importance by simply attaching a pink ribbon to their product by claiming they too are on the "raising awareness" bus. Those who challenge the Pink Ribbon significance and profitability are often viewed as whacked out leftists living on the fringe, complainers, parade spoilers, rainmakers. "None of this is happening in Europe," says Shields. "They're stupefied by the concept of cause marketing."
So what to do? Go to Europe in the month of October to escape pinkdom? Set up a fund that regulates this enormous money machine and that a portion of financial proceeds is doled out to women who have been diagnosed with the disease? Challenge corporations? Fight for some sort of regulation? Boycott pink ribbon products the month of October and send what you wish to foundations of your choosing? (Remember, most of the money you think is going to a good cause pays for the advertising machine, salaries, office space and other misc.needs before it trickles down to research or scholarships.)
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