Saturday, September 29, 2007

WTF?


Did I just see that? I thought my eyes were decieving me, but yes, I in fact just saw Breast Cancer M&M"s.

Corporate marketing land has totally and completely hijacked pink in the name of "The Cure". If you step out of your house you will see pink housewares, clothing, hats, jewellry, furniture and now even food. Starbucks sells pink mugs, etc. etc. etc. Are we all just spending idiots? Does anyone ask where this money is going? Does anyone ask how much %10 of that packet of M&M's is going to lead to HELPING someone with breast cancer?

"Show your support with these recipes" involving M&M's. "Email your friends and get them to pledge buying one pkg of Breast Cancer M&M's." I feel physically ill.

Maybe we, as responsible consumers could take a moment and think. Perhaps, just perhaps, this is the most brilliant marketing scheme ever? It hits people low where it hurts and gives them a sense of having done something for humanity. Do your M&M's do that?

I want people to notice that this is our problem and we are leaving it up to the corporate culture to take care of us. We have the assumption (a great word which starts with ass) that these noble efforts by the corporate structure is, in fact helping real people. No “cure” for cancer will ever arise while we are running our asses off, earning money for a billion $$$ industry. That's right, I said industry. No one gives a shit to help us with our expenses, our mental health and our repercussions from treatment. We are dealing with these consequences on our own while the rich keep getting richer.

Breast cancer is all the rage, it even has it's own month. Everyone knows about that. Buy a ribbon. There is enough pink garbage for sale in stores creating “awareness”. Yeah, we’re aware. What now? What about everyone else struggling? When are you handing over our cure?

How about we take a step back from our power purchasing craze and ask some questions. "Where did that $5 I just donated go?" Will it pay for someones medications, treament, or transportation costs. Will it help them buy a hat or a wig or pay their rent? My first hand experience is "No". Going through cancer treatment is isloating, cold and scarey. People have lost everything over this.

I made it through because my friends started an account and began holding fundraisers for me. Thank God for them. There are real ways to help people directly. I could give you horror stories of my firsthand experiences of people I met, trying to get by through this, but I won't.

We need to realize that we need to stick together to make a difference for ourselves. No one is going to do it for us.

And you can fuck me if I buy anything pink.

11 comments:

Duane said...

Hi!

I stumbled upon your blog yesterday and am so glad I found it. I'd like to add it to my blog's list of cancer survivors (predominantly leukemia and lymphoma).

Thanks for informing us about the pink M&Ms. I had no idea. That's just crazy. Pink is vogue now. It's everywhere and as you stated so eloquently, so marketable too!

Now that I'm aware of your blog, I continue to check it regularly.

BTW, you have a very pleasant writing style. :)

Wishing you continued strength,
Duane
http://journalofaprizefighter.blogspot.com

Kelly Kane said...

I couldn't have said it better myself. I know a lot of the time that I look at those breast cancer things, a very *small* amount of money goes towards organizations, so if you spend $10.00 on some crappy pink makeup, maybe only .25 cents will go towards research or whatever, it's very deceiving!

Where's Leukemia and Lymphoma month!?! I say we create one...? How about November? :)

XO

Kelly

BaldyLocks said...

I was pretty shocked this morning when I stumbled upon those M&M's. Still getting over it...

BaldyLocks said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
BaldyLocks said...

Can anyone say typo? I was so ticked when I wrote this that I missed all the glaring errors! I hope I got them all? I also deleted my own comment today!

Later this afternoon I was in Safeway and bumped into pink breast cancer spatulas, egg timers etc. The new colour of money is pink.

How absurd.

Duane said...

BTW, speaking of the corporate marketability of breast cancer check the following article called "Welcome to Cancerland": http://www.bcaction.org/Pages/LearnAboutUs/WelcomeToCancerland.html

Sandra Eileen said...

I agree with the jist of your post.. corporate America has taken on the Cause as a marketing ploy...

I have donated money, and will continue to do so, to efforts to assist women who are dealing with breast cancer, rather than send the money off for cancer "research."

Kelly Kane said...

I was out shopping today and saw things from tic tacs to mixers, all in PINK! Bleh. What should our color be? I'm personally fond of green or purple, what do you think? They already make green tic tacs !! Ooo and then our official drink could be some sort of fancy martini, I know you like green ones, I'm more of a pinkish/purple drink gal - we'll have to work on that :)

Oh and I'm glad you're understanding of the men - or lack of action thoughts... ugh. I just want someone to come sleep over and snuggle with me, but I've already been told that's a hard see! Hmmph!

Hope all is well, PS you're now officially my new best friend, ha ha!! :)

Camilla said...

Thanks for this post (rant) i've been getting more and more uncomfortable about the 'commercialisation' of breast cancer, and it's good to see what someone who's dealing with cancer has to say on the subject.

Sarah said...

Hi. I followed a link to your blog from the Etsy forums and this post reminded me of a Livejournal that I thought you might like. It belonged to a woman named Karen who died last year. She had a lot of really eloquent, informative posts about cancer, including several about this very issue. Here's a link to her journal:

http://kamigirl25.livejournal.com/

Her husband has a post in his journal with links to many of her posts on this topic:

http://blakeh.livejournal.com/243799.html



By the way, your entry titled "sunk" was so eloquent and beautiful.

Marissa L. Swinghammer said...

"Does anyone ask how much %10 of that packet of M&M's is going to lead to HELPING someone with breast cancer?"

If m&m, yoplait or all the other numerous major companies really gave a shit they would give 100% of the pink items to cancer research and treatment. Not just 10%.