Breast Cancer: Film Analysis

Kimberly Wiese

The film clearly ties into what I have learned in this class on nonprofit management. The main message of the film is that breast cancer has become the poster child for cause marketing. As stated in the book, cause-related marketing represents the most common CSR initiative and probably the most lucrative. (Vaughan, Shannon K.; Arsneault, Shelly (2013-01-09). Managing Nonprofit Organizations in a Policy World (p. 185)). The film examined the “pink ribbon culture” and argues that the Susan G. Komen Foundation is putting a “pretty pink face” on breast cancer awareness. The film aimed to get people to start questioning where their donated money is going and to see the truth behind the “pretty pink ribbon”.

I was most surprised to find out that more than 59,000 women die of breast cancer each year despite the billions of dollars raised for supposed cancer research. We need to wake up and smell the coffee. We are being brain washed or “pink washed” by companies who claim they are promoting cancer research but it all reality contain cancer causing agents that could potentially be making us sick. As stated in the film, doctors can’t prevent something they don’t know the cause of and they can’t cure something they know anything

But, it is happening even now. Corporate sponsorship has the potential to provide great benefit to the nonprofit’s pursuit of mission by expanding the resources available for service delivery. Vaughan, Shannon K.; Arsneault, Shelly (2013-01-09). Managing Nonprofit Organizations in a Policy World (p. 185). Pink ribbons are a money maker, not a cure for cancer. American Express partnered up with the Komen Foundation and agreed to donate one cent when you used your Amex card. No matter if you charged 5, 10, or 100 dollars to your card they would still only donate one cent. This was clearly a rip off and fortunately activists were able to shut this campaign