The Science Of Pinkwashing And Your Way Out Of It

Pinkwashing is a term that is being widely used these days by informed customers and consumers, so it is necessary to know what the term really means and how it might be hurting your brand and your consumers.

What is Pinkwashing?

The term was coined by Breast Cancer Action (BCA) – an activist group. Ever since then, pinkwashing has found many meanings, but it was first defined as organizations and companies putting on an act of caring about breast cancer by promoting pink ribbon products while also producing products that are linked to the disease itself and harmful to the cause. Pinkwashing has also found other meanings in recent times, such as a brand promoting LGBTQ-friendliness in order to downplay their own homophobic or biased policies.

We see many businesses and brands participating in awareness campaigns in an attempt to be viewed as brands that care about their customers and also want to help reform the society. These campaigns are especially more widespread during October, which is the Breast Cancer Awareness Month, designated as such since 1985.

The idea behind pink products is that the profit received from them is then donated to cancer research as well as for awareness and resources to help eradicate the disease. But people suffering from the disease are not benefitting from pink products as much as we are made to believe. The campaigns show us a view from rose-tinted glasses when in reality, the companies are pinkwashing and commodifying a serious life-threatening disease in an attempt to increase their sales and be known as socially conscious brands.

The Story Behind the Pink Ribbon:

Originally, a peach ribbon was created by Charlotte Haley, an activist raising awareness for breast cancer. She was then approached by the beauty company Estée Lauder and was asked if the company could use the ribbon for a campaign. But Haley denied the request as she did not like the idea of her message being commercialized and watered down. But then the beauty company found a solution for themselves anyway. In 1992, Estée Lauder introduced the pink ribbon, just a few shades off from the peach ribbon, as their official symbol for breast cancer awareness.

A year after that, breast cancer became a huge selling point for corporations with the pink ribbon as their symbol. These products had by then become an easy way for consumers to support a cause, fulfilling their sense of activism without having them do more for the cause. Products of all kinds are promoted in pink campaigns, from footballs to razors to fast food to tech. But there is no saying where the profit goes and whether they are donated for cancer research or not. Activists point out that the money trails for such funds are questionable and impossible to track. This just shows how such a deadly disease is being watered down and people suffering from it are being exploited for the profit of big corporations.

With campaigns as such, brands sell their products in the name of breast cancer awareness without actually contributing to the cause, and no one is really held accountable.

Your Way Out of Pinkwashing:

1) Many brands promote products as pink products without realizing that they contain carcinogens i.e. substances that can form cancerous cells. So companies aren’t just commercializing a deadly disease, but they’re harming their own brand image as well as actively providing their consumers with products that are harmful to their health. Brands need to be more conscious of their actions and create more ethical campaigns.

2) Often times companies face backlash as they are not honest about their fundraising campaigns. So an important way of avoiding pinkwashing is transparency. Highlight what part of the profits from your pink products will be donated to organizations, and which organizations and campaigns will be supported through them.

Consumers are growing more aware by the hour so using the pink ribbon “just for the awareness” won’t do enough for your brand anymore. Minar-e-Pakistan going pink for breast cancer awareness and the PSAs by PTA are not enough if Pakistan still has the highest rate of people who suffer from the disease. It’s time that people realize that awareness without action does nothing for the masses. Other than that, companies need to make sure that their marketing and their campaigns are authentic and that they aren’t making a profit through people’s sufferings. If companies do this consciously, they will be able to create a deeper connection with their consumers.