Community

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and all the country is bathed in pink. T-shirts, pink ribbons and the like are everywhere. The American Cancer Society is hosting its Making Strides fundraising walks in 35 states in October, and 37 cities will host Komen Race for the Cure events this month. Businesses large and small are also mobilizing to get people to donate or raise awareness. There are the ususal pink yogurt foil caps from Yoplait that can be sent in for company donations, but smaller businesses are also joining in in creative ways. The website prettycity.com, an online directory of upscale salons and spas, has organized its Pretty in Pink month-long promotion where its member spas discount selected services to $31 each (a dollar for each day of the month). Participating vendors make a donation to participate and a portion of the business generated goes to the Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization. Website visitors can also make a donation directly or purchase many of the pink products available for fundraising.

Here's a link to a great story that ran in an issue of Marketing News earlier this year. In it, freelancer Paula Andruss examines the cause marketing methods used by breast cancer groups like the ones mentioned above and heart disease groups like the American Heart Association. It's well worth reading about how they've generated their great successes.

http://appserver.marketingpower.com/blog/marketingnews/CauseMarketingAndruss.pdf