I know, I know, I’m the outcast. The supposed left coast liberal who isn’t all that bleeding heart and who can be dangerously politically incorrect at times. And now for another bit of blasphemy—just as I refused to go along with all the cotton candy sweetness of National Nurses Week (how about a raise instead of free donuts, Bud?), the National Breast Cancer month extravaganza leaves me a little high and dry.

Yeah, I know. Every three minutes, a woman in the United States is diagnosed with breast cancer, and breast cancer incidence in women has increased from one in 20 in 1960 to one in eight today. So to combat those stats, we’re supposed to wear pink binkies, bows, and doodles, and buy pink toilet paper to battle this terrible disease. Or if we’re so ambitious, we can “run” for the cure. Dressed in pink bloomers, of course.

There are two reasons why the pink campaign makes me want to reach for—what else, but pink Pepto Bismol. First, have you ever wondered if all this “pink” money is actually going towards something worthwhile? Like that big display of pink yogurt–do you actually know how much of a donation the company is making towards breast cancer causes? Or are they just ripping off customers, trying to convince you to buy pink crap you don’t need and pocketing the revenue.

From the Seattle Times:

Not so fast, say the folks behind Think Before You Pink (www.thinkbeforeyoupink.org), a group called Breast Cancer Action. A lot of those pink products aren’t as benevolent as they seem to be. Some companies donate just a tiny portion of proceeds or set a limit on the amount they’ll donate, making the pink ribbon far more profitable for the company than it is for breast cancer.

In 2004, for instance, 3M launched a big campaign to sell Post-it Notes to increase breast cancer awareness. The company spent $500,000, according to PR Week, on the marketing campaign (which included a 70-foot-tall pink ribbon, fashioned from Post-its, in Times Square) — but 3M donated only $300,000 to the cause.

So in other words, 3M spent more money on its advertising and marketing products, than it gave in donations. Nice, huh.

Take some advice from the Think Before Pink campaign, courtesy of Breast Cancer Action:

The list of pink ribbon-wrapped products grows every year. From M&Ms to tennis balls to automobiles, thousands of companies are pinning pink ribbons on their products in an attempt to boost their image and their profits by connecting themselves to a good cause.

Before you impulsively buy one of these products in the belief that your money is going to breast cancer, Breast Cancer Action urges you to “think before you pink”—and ask these critical six questions:

How much money from your purchase actually goes toward breast cancer?

For example, Yoplait donates ten cents for every pink yogurt lid mailed back to the company—it would take four lids just to make up for the price of the stamp. If a company is not giving as much as you think it should, you might choose to give directly to an organization or charity instead.

What is the maximum amount that will be donated?

For instance, Cartier sold a “pink ribbon” watch for $3900, but capped its donation at $30,000 – after the company had sold 10 watches, consumers were no longer contributing to breast cancer causes.

How much money was spent marketing the product?

In a 2005 PR Week article, 3M touted that its 2004 breast cancer awareness effort, involving a 70-foot-tall ribbon made of Post-it Notes in Times Square, reached more than three million people and increased sales 80% over expectations. The article reports that 3M spent $500,000 on the marketing campaign (no actual numbers on profits were released), but only gave a little over half of that amount ($300,000) to the cause.

How are the funds being raised?

Every October, Lee Jeans proclaims a “Lee National Denim Day.” Participating companies allow their employees to wear jeans to work in exchange for a $5 contribution to Lee Jeans, which then sends the money to designated breast cancer organizations. According to its website, Lee donates the “net proceeds” that it has collected. What isn’t clear is how Lee defines net proceeds–e.g., are marketing and administrative costs deducted from funds raised?–or whether the company itself donates any money.

To what breast cancer organization does the money go, and what types of programs does it support?

If research, what kind? Are they the same studies we’ve been doing for decades that already get enormous financial support, or is it innovative research into the causes of breast cancer that is woefully underfunded?

If services, is it reaching the people who need it most? Campaigns that are not locally focused may siphon funds away from the community and give them to larger programs that are already well funded.

If advocacy and education, do the programs make steps towards ending the epidemic? Programs supporting “breast health awareness” ignore that we are already well aware that cancer is a problem and it’s time to move from awareness to action.

What is the company doing to assure that its products are not contributing to the breast cancer epidemic?

Many companies that raise funds for breast cancer also make products that may be contributing to the epidemic. Is the promotion a golf tournament on a golf course sprayed with pesticides? Is $1 being given each time you test-drive a polluting car, as in BMW’s Ultimate Drive Campaign? Are the products being sold cosmetics containing chemicals linked to breast cancer?

Contribute to a Cause, Not Cause-Marketers

Far too many marketing campaigns exist for it to be possible to trace the threads of profit for each, and it’s difficult to verify whether a promotion is legitimate while you’re standing in the store. Make the best choice you can with the information you have. If you have trouble getting answers or if you feel that a promotion is questionable, write to the company responsible, consider buying a different product, and tell your friends.

Better yet, ignore the pink campaign. If you want to give money to a breast cancer cause, just donate directly. This way you can be assured as to where your money is going, and for what.

My second gripe is even more politically incorrect, and borders on blasphemy, but some of it has been mentioned by Breast Cancer Action. I’ll blog on it tomorrow.