I respectfully completely disagree. As a PR practitioner i represent a brand with a ‘BCA’ product and it is always the highlight of my year.

It feels so good to be promoting something more than just a product. The letters we’ve received from women saying how much they appreciate our donations have been heartwarming, not to mention the effect some of our local initiatives have had on communities.

As a previous post pointed out, something is better than nothing. Our product sells for the same price all year, with 20% of sales donated to BCA in October. Who wouldn’t want to support a great cause and their favorite brand at the same time?

The more you support, the more initiatives like this will continue – cause marketing is the best thing that’s happened to fundraising in the last 20 years.

Of course it has to serve two purposes (selling products is a business after all), promoting the brand and maintaining profitability (essential for any COMPANY) while bringing awareness and, most importantly, money to causes that need it. sounds like a win win to me, and i’ll continue being a proud part of it.

All of us at Fashionable Media felt that just telling people to buy more “pink stuff” was pretty meaningless and bland. Instead we are encouraging people to donate to Breast Cancer Research via Susan G Komen and they will be rewarded with prizes if they do!!! We’re giving away 20 gift baskets with over $3,000 worth of products and gift cards.

I hope you’ll consider posting about “Fashionable Gals For A Cure” and help support our efforts to raise awareness and money for BC research instead of just selling pink products.

Great post!!

I totally agree! As a beauty business owner, myself, it has run across my mind to do a product for breast cancer awareness. The thing is, it’s not something I have any experience with personally (or close to my family). I think I am very lucky, especially after reading the other gals’ posts. I have spent a little time thinking what “cause” I would like to support and I don’t want to pick one just to have one for the PR. I am waiting until I find something I am truly passionate about. Until then, if I want to bring awareness to something, I can blog about it.

Thanks for your great post!

This brings up a bigger topic than BCA – cause related marketing. I am professionally torn over it. I am for it because it creates awareness for new issues and rallies consumers together for support. I am against it because as Shannon Nelson put it; “washing.” But this also asks the question – is 10% better than 100%? No, but it’s better than zero. I think if October sales of creams and lotions can save one life – then it’s worth it and as humans we can’t put a price or value on life, not through PR, cause related marketing, pink/red/yellow ribbons, you just can’t. And if you are going to get in a snit about BCA – well then you can’t support Heart Disease Month, Earth Day, Aids Month or really even Christmas for that matter, now can you?

Moral of the story – lighten up and by some flipping lipstick!

xo,
Pierce

I learn’t about giving form my mom. She does everything she can for everybody whether she knows them or not. And never once have I seen her buy a lipstick which indirectly led to helping a cause.
You raised some very good points. Though I understand it is all about Corporate Charity, I wish they went big and just gave. Instead of tricking customers into buying something from them in order for them to give something back to the society.
I must say I have in the past bought a few L’Oreal goodies because I felt good that they donated. But I don’t do it anymore. It feels much better and more rewarding to one’s soul when you give directly whether by cheque or by putting in man hours.