I’m continually amazed by the campaigns put on by the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and its American counterpart.Their PR and marketing people seem to have the art of fundraising and awareness-raising down to a science, even partnering with what may seem like the unlikeliest of groups- male athletes and male sports fans.
This Thanksgiving weekend was declared “Team Up For Pink Ribbon” weekend in Toronto, with Toronto FC, the Toronto Raptors, the Leafs, and the Marlies all donning jerseys splashed with pink in support of the cause. The jerseys and other memorabilia will later be auctioned as a fundraiser.
South of the border, the NFL is also supporting breast cancer awareness month with over 100 players reported to be wearing pink cleats this weekend or in future games.
The most recent edition of Sports Illustrated even features the magazine title in “breast cancer pink” lettering, a colour now easily envisioned by most.
If that’s not an incredibly successful public relations campaign, I’m not sure what is.
What I’m curious about, though, is why breast cancer awareness, in particular, is promoted so heavily in the sporting world, while other cancer foundations’ campaigns are much less prevalent. What about lung cancer, skin cancer, prostate cancer - where is their publicity? Surely those types of cancers impact male sports fans and competitors more directly than breast cancer.
Perhaps it’s a cyclical financial issue; so much money is raised for breast cancer each year that the campaigns are able to expand and exist on larger-scales. Perhaps it’s easier to market a disease that has become a highly recognizable and established brand. Perhaps male athletes are more comfortable promoting a cancer that more frequently impacts others in their lives, their mothers; daughters; sisters; wives; and girlfriends, as opposed to themselves.
The bottom line is it’s all good; any fundraising in support of any cancer is a positive. The more funds and awareness raised, the better. I just wonder if I'll see the day when NHL players are wearing jerseys in support of colorectal cancer. Think… brown?
You may be overestimating the good intentions of male-dom; the cynic in me would tend to lean on the side of most men (professional athletes in particular) just simply loving the female breast.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that the same could be said about a "poopchute" disease however.