The Cancer Pink Ribbon Marketing Scam That?s Capitalizing On Women?s Emotions

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If you are living in America, chances are you?re familiar with the little pink ribbons. They seem to be plastered on everything ? from makeup and jewellery to gardening tools and even buckets of fried chicken. But at least they are for a good cause. If we see this symbol and purchase these products, that means we are supporting breast cancer research, right?

Well, surprise, surprise ? that is exactly what you are meant to believe and an example of marketing at its finest. It is truly sad to realize how much power marketing and advertising campaigns have over us.

Considering that about 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime, the Breast Cancer Foundation represents a noble cause that certainly deserves money for research and treatment. Unfortunately, their efforts only appear honourable on the surface; in reality, the multi-million dollar company behind those pink ribbons ? the Susan G. Komen Foundation ? puts less than a dime of each dollar toward actually finding a cure for breast cancer. And that?s just the beginning of the problem.

Where Does The Money Actually Go?

The Komen Foundation?s assets total over a staggering $390 million. According to Charity Navigator, the foundation reported a total revenue of nearly $312 million in the fiscal year ending in March 2010. In an article published on AlterNet, however, Emily Michele breaks down how this money was actually spent, showing that only 20.9% of the funds are actually going to breast cancer research, despite the heavily marketed ?search for the cure? being their most publicized mission. So where else does the money raised go?

13% for health screening
5.6% for treatment
10% for fundraising
11.3% for administrative costs
39.1 for public education

On the surface, these percentages seem reasonable, but there is more to these statistics than meets the eye. Take public education, for example: while it seems like an important component of the prevention and early detection of breast cancer, that isn?t necessarily what?s being taught. Michele writes:

There are no mentions of eating healthy foods, getting proper levels of cancer-preventing Vitamin D, or cutting out sugar ? the substance that feeds cancer cells ? in any of its ?public health education? efforts. Even though these are scientifically proven ways to prevent cancer. . . .

One thing that doesn?t quite compute with me is how Komen?s mission of finding a ?cure? ? after all, that is its name ? is congruent with putting over half its money toward promoting awareness and screening, for early detection of breast cancer. It?s not curing breast cancer to be aware that you could get it, nor is finding out that you have cancer and treating it in the early stages in hopes of entering into remission. That?s not a cure. Yet that is Komen?s largest promoted focus.

The first thing that you see while visiting the Pink Ribbons website is the statement:

The best protection is early detection.?

This statement is simply not true; the best protection would be to avoid getting breast cancer in the first place and to make healthy lifestyle choices.

Pink Ribbons Make Money, They Don?t Cure Cancer

It is horrifying that this corporation is preying on the emotions of men and women whose lives have been affected, either directly or indirectly, by breast cancer. When you consider how much this charity has raised, through donations from people who believe they are helping to support a cause and directly assist in finding a cure, it becomes downright sickening.

If you think about it, plastering pink ribbons everywhere is a brilliant way for the Komen Foundation to advertise for itself. As Michele explains:

The pink-ribbon-plastered ?awareness? and?education? campaigns are often little more than a highly effective form of advertising ? which in turn, brings in Komen?s millions. In other words, a way to raise funds for itself, while getting a pat on the back for its efforts to ?save lives.?

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