Case Study: The Power of Trend to bring Cause Awareness
Summary
Have you noticed the “pink campaign,” when you’re shopping? Or how about the color bracelet someone is wearing? If it’s a yellow silicone bracelet, do you know what that represents? Two different initiatives have brought awareness through the use of visual representations that have started different trends. These trends have made the subject of cancer survivors and breast cancer easier to talk about and brought more understanding and awareness to these causes. Trends through visible devices can have a strong impact on marketing campaigns and be an identifier of a cause.
Challenge
How to use trends to bring attention and awareness to a cause.
Methods
LiveStrong
Lance Armstrong wanted to raise funds and awareness for cancer survivors. Nike came up with the idea of the yellow silicone wristbands branded with the word “LiveStrong.” Nike produced five million, and then contributed another $1 million in cash. The yellow symbolized Armstrong’s jersey in the Tour de France, and the cost of the bracelet was $1. With its price point and simple statement, this item was accessible to anyone, no matter the financial condition or age. The funds went to Armstrong’s Lance Armstrong Foundation, a non-profit devoted to improving the lives of people with cancer.
Although the launch was kicked off with a traditional advertising campaign produced by Nike, the real marketing came from the people, the cancer survivors and people supporting them, that started to wear the yellow bands and create a solidarity movement and a positive trend in speaking about cancer and bringing awareness to the needs of survivors.
Think Pink
The pink ribbon campaign is frequently used in cause-related marketing, creating cooperation between non-profits and businesses to promote a product that also supports a cause.
In 1993, Avon partnered with the Breast Cancer campaign and used the idea of the ribbon to create a pin that cost $2. In its first two years, the pin raised $10 million.
By 1996 there were 80 to 100 companies involved, each offering its own version and adaptation of the traditional ribbon, with profits going to the Breast Cancer Research Fund.
Breast Cancer research and awareness increased during this time because of the accessibility and multi-use and application of a pink ribbon. Marketers were able to take it as a symbol and logo that could be applied to help the cause but also help sell the product.
Results
Armstrong’s yellow “LiveStrong” wristbands have raised tens of millions of dollars to improve the lives of cancer survivors. They have also democratized philanthropy and became an early example of social networking—where people everywhere could participate in the cause and recognize one another instantly by the bands.
Today, more than 80 million bands have been sold, which has helped the comparatively small nonprofit provide critical funding for their programs and advocacy efforts.
The pink ribbon is not licensed by any corporation so it may be more vulnerable to being abused by businesses that donate little or none of their revenue to breast cancer research. Breast Cancer Action has called these products “pinkwashing” and they try to highlight these companies.
However, the symbol of the ribbon and the use of pink on different products have succeeded in becoming a global symbol and color of the breast cancer movement. Between 1991 and 1996, federal funding for breast cancer research increased nearly fourfold to over $550 million.
Published by The Fundraising Journal 2011
Sources
http://whatmatters.mckinseydigital.com/social_innovation/the-power-of-yellow
http://www.pinkribbon.org/
http://thinkbeforeyoupink.org/?page_id=26
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_ribbon
http://us.movember.com/
