Breast cancer Awareness – A trend or an effort ?

According to Forbes, “A recent TIME Magazine article entitled “When Is ‘Awareness’ Awareness Month?”, contends, that, “Going pink has become more of a branding opportunity than a public service.” Have you ever thought that there are numerous deadly diseases from which people die every day? But, why is that only Breast Cancer awareness has been taken up by these high-end brands? They have indeed put a great deal of effort in making their CSR, a big success. When “The pink ribbon” is put as an icon in a company’s social initiatives, their corporate strategy is quite clear.

A brand is created with the help of its customers and taking up Breast cancer, which is the most prevalent in women, is nothing but an attention seeking strategy. So, don’t get fooled when your favorite brands take up the breast cancer initiative.

Fancy carnivals by fashion houses and Publicity campaigning involves, distribution of pink shirts and putting up pink décor. These are some of many the marketing strategies, used by these brands. Now even, a celebrity pouting in pink lipstick is taken as a support symbol. Why don’t we have such support for other cancers like mouth cancer or liver cancer or heart cancer or any other cancer, which people suffer from every day?

Although, breast cancer is the most frequent in women but the other cancers need as much attention as this one. No human  is  prone to any kind of cancer.

Its been noticed that women issues are taken in a more sensitive manner than any other issues related to men. Past has witnessed that because women are perceived to be fragile and their emotional sensitivity is higher than that of men, these brands take up a cause which helps in making their brand look sensitive and caring to the needs of the society. It has become so cliché to see that all the brands stand up for the same cause that now its just a mere brand promotion strategy. It’s rather sad to see that companies have become so desperate that playing with human sensitivities has become a part of their daily job.

Since these brands promote breast cancer over all other diseases, it is quite possible that one might perceive this disease to be trending or could be seen as the modern age women cancer. Although, breast cancer has existed for ages now, but the extensive brand promotion for its awareness has posed a number of questions in the layman’s mind. So, the question here arises, “ Do they actually care?” the answer is No, they don’t. They have a team of strategists sitting behind the scenes, to formulate and implement the Corporate Social Responsibility; which the company is liable to do for the society.

Even though, it’s just like any another marketing gimmick for the companies, women have become curious as to why this disease is the one to look out for ?. Women should stand up for this cause themselves and act upon the situation, by spreading the nature and intensity of this disease. The actual awareness can only be raised, if women are the active messengers of this deadly cancer, which will help in its immediate eradication by its early detection. Early detection of any kind of disease is a blessing, and especially, a disease like breast cancer needs one’s immediate attention.

So, one should encourage to actually help the society to get rid of this cancer, while the brands use this disease as any other marketing strategy to sell their products.