Reflections on Buckets for the Cure

After the cause marketing blogosphere lit up with criticism of Susan G. Komen for the Cure's 2010 partnership with Kentucky Fried Chicken, the Cause Marketing Forum reached out to Komen for insights into why it had decided to forge what it knew would be a controversial relationship.Margo K. Lucero, the organization's director of global corporate relations, penned this response:

via causemarketingforum.com

In fairness to all sides of this issue, I'm posting Komen's rationale for the Buckets campaign.

I'm curious: what are your thoughts? What would your organization do?

Comments

[Lisa Longhurst]

I am actually more offended by Margo's response. Basically she is saying that they aren't reaching enough women in "other market areas". How sad to think that a pink bucket of chicken will get a woman in for a mammogram. And frankly the grilled chicken at KFC is just as laden with fat calories. There is nothing healthy about it.

The scariest part of this is that KFC launched its most disturbing product on the back end of this promotion - two pieces of fried chicken held together by processed "cheese" and bacon. The ads are completely focused on men. I guess the idea of the pink bucket was so laden with estrogen that they needed to create something just for the boys. Maybe they don't know that men get breast cancer too.

As a Development Director and part of Margo's "vocal minority", the pink-washing has become almost silly. Yes, people recognize it as the symbol for breast cancer. However, there is something damaging about the need to partner with anyone. The ACLU was hammered recently because a single staffer refused a donation from the American Humanists to support a young lesbian woman. How very contrary to their mission.

THIS promotional campaign is contrary to the mission of the Susan J Koman Foundation even if Margo thinks she can talk her way around it.

The propagation of misinformation through disgusting partnerships like this is destructive to society. A donor asked me recently if AIDS is the #1 killer of women on the planet. Of course I confirmed this. She had assumed that it was breast cancer because of the media coverage and corporate partnerships. Mindfulness is what seems to be missing.

[Gail Bower]

Thanks for your thoughts, Lisa. I agree that nonprofits need to have integrity about their partnerships.