Here, I bring you cause-related marketing gone too far.
First, I have to acknowledge that the Susan B. Komen Foundation has done an amazing job with the awareness portion of their mission. Their marketing team should be extraordinarily proud of what they’ve done.
With that said, it’s possible to go too far. When there is actually a term for oversaturation of your cause – pink fatigue – you’ve gone too far.
This hit home for me personally when I was diagnosed with lymphoma (that’s another whole blog, though) and realized how much charitable work is being done for breast cancer, and how little, in comparison, for other cancers. Everyone knows the “official color” for breast cancer. Do you know the color for ovarian cancer? How about lymphoma?
While this post is letting me vent a little, there really is a marketing point here. When you’re considering a cause-related marketing campaign, consider a few things:
- Where can we really make a difference?
- What causes would our customers value?
- What causes would our employees value?
- What causes really need our help?
That last bullet is bold for a reason. Think before you pink.
Ok I have got to agree here. That is going out there on a limb. But having said that I have to ask when it comes to marketing for a cause what is too far? Granted I don’t know what the color is for lymphoma or any other cancer for that matter. Is that the fault of breast cancer advocates or advocates for other causes?
You know, I don’t know how to define too far. I do know, however, that many companies will choose breast cancer because it is widely known and relatively non-controversial. Though that is changing. There has been some backlash on the awareness side.