The Iconic Pink Ribbon Campaign — Estée Lauder Commitment to creating a cancer-free world
"It really is something that can never be done by anyone person; it has to be done by a group."- Evelyn H. Lauder
Did you know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month? According to the world health organization, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women. About 1 in 8 U.S. women will develop breast cancer over the course of their lifetime. But with many forms of cancer affecting humanity, have you ever wondered how breast cancer got the attention it did? How a pink ribbon came to symbolize the efforts, and in turn, became globally recognized?
Every year in October, numerous businesses work jointly with breast cancer charity organizations and NGOs globally to bring more awareness about breast cancer. Breast cancer awareness campaigns are launched with the goal to raise people's awareness for breast cancer, its early detection, treatment, and the need for a reliable permanent cure.
Several brands go pink on Social media with their promotional campaigns, donating to this cause — they launch limited edition products explicitly developed in line with the breast cancer theme. Portions of proceeds from purchases are donated to breast cancer organizations.
The Origin of the Pink Ribbon
When we think of pink ribbon in the month of October, and even otherwise, we automatically think about breast cancer awareness. Have you ever wondered why the ribbon, why pink, and how it got associated with Breast cancer? Time for a short history lesson…it all started with one woman, but her ribbon wasn't pink.
In the early 90's Charlotte Haley, a 60-year-old Breast cancer survivor, wanted to raise awareness and make a difference, so she handmade thousands of peach-colored ribbons with a card that read that there must be more awareness about breast cancer. Her message spread by word of mouth. Alexandra Penny, the editor of Self magazine, got interested in this idea. Unable to use Haley's peach ribbon for legal reasons, they came up with a pink ribbon to promote breast cancer awareness.
Enter Estée Lauder
Evelyn H. Lauder — of the Estée Lauder beauty brand got interested in the campaign in its very origin in 1992. And, she knew how to leverage the power of marketing and how to run successful campaigns. So, she dedicated herself and her company to the cause of creating a breast cancer-free world. They leveraged the power of the portfolio of brands, their people, partners, and organizations to impact the Global Breast cancer community positively. And with that, the Pink Ribbon went from being one woman's idea to being a global symbol in the fight against breast cancer.
The goal of the global campaign was to raise awareness, drive progress, and ultimately help find a cure for this disease through the advancements of research, education, and medical services.
Fast forward to 2021 #TimeToEndBreastCancer
The mission of the Estée Lauder Breast Cancer campaign was to create a cancer-free world — a vision that Evelyn H. Lauder set in 1992. Since then, many global brands have adopted the cause and supports worldwide efforts.
The 2021 Breast Cancer Campaign has launched a new social media call to action using the hashtags #TimeToEndBreastCancer and #ELCdonates. This encourages engagement from supporters worldwide to raise funds for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF). They could do this by purchasing any of the limited edition pink ribbon products (including Aveda, Bobbi Brown, Clinique, Tom Ford, Lamer) and tagging up to five people to participate in this program.
For every public, in-feed Instagram or Facebook post during October featuring both #TimeToEndBreastCancer and #ELCdonates together, The Estée Lauder Companies will donate $25 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation up to $150,000.
The campaign is also illuminating landmarks and monuments worldwide in bright pink lights to increase awareness about breast health, i.e., the Eiffel Tower- Paris, France; Burj Al Arab- Dubai, NYSE- New York City, National Stadium of Peru- Lima.
Combining Marketing and Social Causes
One has to wonder, what if Estée Lauder hadn't joined the effort back in 1992. Would the campaign have achieved the global status it did, would Pink Ribbon become recognizable, would the impact be as deep and wide? Perhaps no. I believe this is an excellent example of how a leading brand can take on a social cause and use its marketing and brand muscle and global reach to be a catalyst in a global movement. This goes beyond corporate social responsibility to being purposeful in pursuit of a larger social mission that impacts large populations. For brands that genuinely adopt these causes, it creates a deeper connection with the consumer, especially when consumers are increasingly aware and conscious of corporate citizenship from their preferred brands.
Let's come together for this cause
The breast cancer pink ribbon symbolizes different things to different people. For some, it is a sign of strength from surviving cancer. For some, it's the hope of a world free from breast cancer, and for some others, it's a reminder to get yearly mammograms. Many see it as a symbol of empathy for those who have breast cancer. Though the universal appearance of the pink ribbons can be overwhelming, the Estée Lauder campaign is unique because they see breast cancer as a global issue. No matter your origin, lifestyle, or values, the disease does not indiscriminate. The campaign talks about how the disease has profoundly affected the lives of not only the survivors but also caregivers, friends, and families. There are many cultures where there is a taboo associated with this disease; the thought of doing a mastectomy is unfathomable. The campaign launched globally supports research, education, and medical services worldwide through 60+ organizations supporting the breast cancer community. It also addresses breast cancer differences that exist among minorities and other vulnerable groups.
To support this incredible campaign, follow @Estéelaudercompanies on social media and use the hashtag #TimeToEndBreastCancer or visit www.Estéelauder.com to purchase the Beauty Box.
