OT - Pink Helmets

[Doc5120]

Is it just me or is this more of a marketing scheme than it is raising awareness for a good cause? I fully support raising awareness for breast cancer, or any type of cancer for that matter, but I think this is more marketing than anything. And to me, that greatly diminishes the whole point of the raise awareness movement.

http://espn.go.com/college-football...wear-pink-helmets-vs-washington-state-cougars

 

[SU2NASA]

Is it just me or is this more of a marketing scheme than it is raising awareness for a good cause? I fully support raising awareness for breast cancer, or any type of cancer for that matter, but I think this is more marketing than anything. And to me, that greatly diminishes the whole point of the raise awareness movement.

http://espn.go.com/college-football...wear-pink-helmets-vs-washington-state-cougars

Breast cancer accounts for ~268,000 of over 1,900,000 cancer deaths in the United States per year.

I appreciate the NFL, MLB, and college football is working to raise awareness and charitable donations for an awful disease with no cure that I hope to God none of the women in my life ever get, but what about the many other forms of cancer that kill hundreds of thousands of Americans each year?

I agree, doesn't it seem like much of this is about commercializing the game to attract women? I know MLB refused light blue bats this year for prostate cancer awareness, and abandoned that campaign a few years ago. I think they've found this to be more lucrative.

I hope this doesn't come across as insensitive since breast cancer is a terrible disease that must be fought, but hasn't this reached a saturation point with four weeks of NFL and college focusing on pink everything?

 

[OregonOrange]

Where's the blue for prostate and testicular cancer?

 

[Doc5120]

Where's the blue for prostate and testicular cancer?

Exactly. This is why I believe it to be more a marketing campaign to bring in more women viewers. They don't need to attract men's eyeballs to the tv. And like I said, this is why I believe it really diminishes the entire raise awareness campaign. I'd like to know the percentage of proceeds from jersey sales, etc that go towards benefitting breast cancer. I have a bad feeling it's not nearly as much it should be, which is just sad.

 

[orangecuse]

Breast cancer accounts for ~268,000 of over 1,900,000 cancer deaths in the United States per year.

I appreciate the NFL, MLB, and college football is working to raise awareness and charitable donations for an awful disease with no cure that I hope to God none of the women in my life ever get, but what about the many other forms of cancer that kill hundreds of thousands of Americans each year?

I agree, doesn't it seem like much of this is about commercializing the game to attract women? I know MLB refused light blue bats this year for prostate cancer awareness, and abandoned that campaign a few years ago. I think they've found this to be more lucrative.

I hope this doesn't come across as insensitive since breast cancer is a terrible disease that must be fought, but hasn't this reached a saturation point with four weeks of NFL and college focusing on pink everything?

I certainly agree that there's a significant financial agenda that goes on with all this aforementioned marketing, etc. Now, if all of that (100%) went to research & the cause that's one thing, but...

Interestingly, the number one cause of death of women (more than breast cancer) is heart disease. For whatever reason, there isn't anywhere near the amount of attention directed there...

 

[RICuse44]

Agree with the disclaimer- terrible disease. Early detection is the way to go. In either case, you may want to read the book "The Truth in Small Doses". Talks about how we are losing the war on cancer and how to fix it. Breast cancer generates a ton of money for research. The advocacy groups for breast cancer due a terrific job of getting their agendas across. Breast cancer is the number 1 type of cancer women get. But, the number 1 cancer killer of women is lung cancer. Almost double.

Interesting overall with the NFLs and NCAAs push on these subjects. Prostate cancer affects men- typically older men. However, African Americans tend to get it at a younger age and tend to die of rather than with prostate cancer. Two thirds of NFL players are African American. Interesting.

 

[JoeSU]

I wonder what legendary Iowa coach Hayden Fry would think of these uniforms?
For those not familiar with Fry, he had the visitor's locker room (including the walls, floors, toilets, showers, etc.) painted pink (as it remains today), because he believed the color had a calming effect on their opponents.

 

[SU2NASA]

http://wnst.net/baltimore-orioles/m...poses-truth-about-many-awareness-initiatives/

"By no means is the initiative without charity as MLB claims to have raised more than $1 million through auctions of these game-used bats over the last eight years. Pink personalized bats made by Louisville Slugger will also be sold on MLB.com, with $10 from each bat going to Major League Baseball Charities to be apportioned to fight breast cancer. The league says more than $300,000 have been donated from sales of these personalized bats."

So MLB made $700,000 off of just the pink bats. And the actual charity walked away with 30%.

 

[ForeverOrange]

I believe this was originally a request by D'angelo Williams to wear pink because he suffered a lot of losses of women in his family to cancer. It may have been distorted over this season, but its original intent was no marketing scheme.

 

[SU2NASA]

I believe this was originally a request by D'angelo Williams to wear pink because he suffered a lot of losses of women in his family to cancer. It may have been distorted over this season, but its original intent was no marketing scheme.

Once MLB and the NFL found there was money to had it became one.

 

[Timonen]

Is it just me or is this more of a marketing scheme than it is raising awareness for a good cause? I fully support raising awareness for breast cancer, or any type of cancer for that matter, but I think this is more marketing than anything. And to me, that greatly diminishes the whole point of the raise awareness movement.

http://espn.go.com/college-football...wear-pink-helmets-vs-washington-state-cougars

I'm pretty close to this issue professionally so I partly want to leave it alone here and partly want to clarify what I know. Of course it's marketing, but NFPs using marketing as a way to reach folks, grow awareness, fund services, fund research, etc is a win. Corporate tie-ins to NFP are nothing new. Advances in cancer for treatment, for prevention, for r&d around new drugs and for availability of patient services for underserved communities are at an all time high...leading to fantastically improved survival rates and care options. This stuff hasn't happened on its own. It's because NFPs (and private sector business) puts their resources behind it...and there's a ton more to do. The share of cancer that's preventable is staggering. No one program can be everything for everyone, but this sincerely helps with many aspects of breast cancer...and actually has a halo impact on other areas. Komen money really goes to research. ACS money really goes to research (another nobel winner last week) and REAL patient services (lodging for patients seeking treatment away from home, rides to treatment, screening programs, etc). These groups are in the mix on every advancement in the cancer fight. So yes, it's marketing...and yes, this specific program is not inclusive of all cancers but that doesn't take away from the real impact.

 

[Doc5120]

I'm pretty close to this issue professionally so I partly want to leave it alone here and partly want to clarify what I know. Of course it's marketing, but NFPs using marketing as a way to reach folks, grow awareness, fund services, fund research, etc is a win. Corporate tie-ins to NFP are nothing new. Advances in cancer for treatment, for prevention, for r&d around new drugs and for availability of patient services for underserved communities are at an all time high...leading to fantastically improved survival rates and care options. This stuff hasn't happened on its own. It's because NFPs (and private sector business) puts their resources behind it...and there's a ton more to do. The share of cancer that's preventable is staggering. No one program can be everything for everyone, but this sincerely helps with many aspects of breast cancer...and actually has a halo impact on other areas. Komen money really goes to research. ACS money really goes to research (another nobel winner last week) and REAL patient services (lodging for patients seeking treatment away from home, rides to treatment, screening programs, etc). These groups are in the mix on every advancement in the cancer fight. So yes, it's marketing...and yes, this specific program is not inclusive of all cancers but that doesn't take away from the real impact.

Thanks for some "insider" perspective Timonen. If it truly helps, I'm all for it. I just hate for it to be exploiting a very serious disease for the NCAA and NFL to make a quick buck.

 

[OrangeDW]

Cancer research is done by drug company's that make billions of dollars per year. Portions of any donations go to these company's to help cover the costs of doing their research. If that research leads to anything helpful it gets patented so the resulting treatment can be sold back to the cancer sufferers at a profit.

Donating money to them is like giving money to apple for "research" they are already doing anyway for their next iPhone or whatever, which they will then sell back to you at a profit anyways.

So you're covering operational expenses for multi billion dollar companies that will then sell you the product you helped to pay for developing, at a profit to them.

All this pink stuff doesnt really do anything. I think the people who are running these charities and pushing "awareness" mean well and mostly have good intentions. But why not just give your money you intended to donate directly to people you know with cancer, so they can seek the best treatment options?

 

[Timonen]

Cancer research is done by drug company's that make billions of dollars per year. Portions of any donations go to these company's to help cover the costs of doing their research. If that research leads to anything helpful it gets patented so the resulting treatment can be sold back to the cancer sufferers at a profit.

Donating money to them is like giving money to apple for "research" they are already doing anyway for their next iPhone or whatever, which they will then sell back to you at a profit anyways.

So you're covering operational expenses for multi billion dollar companies that will then sell you the product you helped to pay for developing, at a profit to them.

All this pink stuff doesnt really do anything. I think the people who are running these charities and pushing "awareness" mean well and mostly have good intentions. But why not just give your money you intended to donate directly to people you know with cancer, so they can seek the best treatment options?

Very shortsighted. There are tons of worthy research initiatives that go unfunded. These are some of the areas ACS puts it research dollars (and 47 times it's yielded Nobel winning work, not that I'm counting). Folks are often affiliated with universities and cancer centers. Places like Mayo and md Anderson aren't the drug companies. And all of this begs the issue of support services, screening services, etc that the money helps. Not trying to convince anyone. There's a very necessary place for local charity...and there's a very necessary place for giant players who can reachi more people in more areas and bring about more change through programs, advocacy in Washington, etc. what I can 100% promise you is that every person working at a large NFP is leaving a large share of salary on the table relative to what the private sector could offer. It's not a smoke and mirrors thing. These orgs do really good work...and it certainly doesn't all roll up to the drug companies.

 

[Pat Kelly]

Really? The fact that there are any complaints about these helmets is sickening.

From Barstool U

"Name: Tina A

Subject: Community Relations

Message: Last year October I was watching a Jets game and noticed the pink the team was wearing. I didn’t know why and asked my husband. He said it was for breast cancer awareness. That night for the first time ever I gave myself a self breast exam. You guys saved my life! I am a 34 year old mother of 3 and I was diagnosed 2 weeks later with breast cancer.The outcome had I not seen that game and the players wearing pink would have more than likely been tragic because the cancer had already started to spread and was making its way toward my lymph nodes. I just wanted to say thank you, and to let you know that your efforts in creating breast cancer awareness work. I am living proof. It is a year later and I am here and cancer free. I underwent chemo and radiation and I am here thanks to you.

Sincerely,

Tina A, Staten Island, NY"

 

[SU2NASA]

Really? The fact that there are any complaints about these helmets is sickening.

From Barstool U

"Name: Tina A

Subject: Community Relations

Message: Last year October I was watching a Jets game and noticed the pink the team was wearing. I didn’t know why and asked my husband. He said it was for breast cancer awareness. That night for the first time ever I gave myself a self breast exam. You guys saved my life! I am a 34 year old mother of 3 and I was diagnosed 2 weeks later with breast cancer.The outcome had I not seen that game and the players wearing pink would have more than likely been tragic because the cancer had already started to spread and was making its way toward my lymph nodes. I just wanted to say thank you, and to let you know that your efforts in creating breast cancer awareness work. I am living proof. It is a year later and I am here and cancer free. I underwent chemo and radiation and I am here thanks to you.

Sincerely,

Tina A, Staten Island, NY"

It took THAT?!?!?!?

Of all of the breast cancer awareness going on with Komen, Race for a Cure, etc. etc. it took a Jets game?

 

[NC'cusefan]

Every uniform by Oregon is a marketing scheme and so is the wearing of pink by teams. If they didnt think it was profitable they wouldn't allow it. Look at Marshall promoting mental illness.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Cancer research is done by drug company's that make billions of dollars per year. Portions of any donations go to these company's to help cover the costs of doing their research. If that research leads to anything helpful it gets patented so the resulting treatment can be sold back to the cancer sufferers at a profit.

Donating money to them is like giving money to apple for "research" they are already doing anyway for their next iPhone or whatever, which they will then sell back to you at a profit anyways.

So you're covering operational expenses for multi billion dollar companies that will then sell you the product you helped to pay for developing, at a profit to them.

All this pink stuff doesnt really do anything. I think the people who are running these charities and pushing "awareness" mean well and mostly have good intentions. But why not just give your money you intended to donate directly to people you know with cancer, so they can seek the best treatment options?

Here we go...