From a size point of view, Susan G Komen for the Cure is certainly the Goliath compared to everyone else involved in breast cancer. According to Charity Navigator, their gross revenues for FYE 2010 were $311,855,544.
No doubt, being the king of the mountain makes you a target. But Komen's recent release of a perfume (read here about the ingredients) has attracted a whole lot of attention. I think lots of people thought it couldn't get any worse, but just when you think that... here it comes... a pink ribbon roller coaster.
On June 7th, Advancing Impact, a website dedicated to issues of philanthropy asked its readers how a non-profit should respond to criticism. Using Komen as an example, the author, Jen Price noted that their lack of response has caused a backlash to become an organized movement.
A critical mass of concerned citizens, many of whom had supported Komen over the years, are now asking whether the ends justify the means.
 |
| Alicia C Staley |
I'm asking you to take a leadership role in addressing the lack of progress made for those facing the metastatic aspects of this disease. The once mighty Pink Ribbon, used all these years to herald the importance of breast cancer awareness, is quickly becoming the poster child for cause marketing overload. Don't make this your legacy and drag the rest of the breast cancer community down with you.I have spoken out about Komen here and elsewhere, but do not wish for them to go away. I believe they are still the leaders and if they retool their efforts, they can still have a huge impact. The potential is undeniable.
To that end, I posted link to Alicia's piece, with a note that said :
"Please take notice of this: Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Susan G. Komen for the Cure Greater Cincinnati Affiliate and Nancy G. Brinker. This is a growing sentiment and we need your help."
 |
| $2 from each ride ($25-$45) goes to SGK |
In less than a minute, Brinker removed the tag, "unfriended" me and blocked me from even seeing her page.
I don't know how long they will go on making decisions that anger people, then completely ignoring criticism, but Goliath won't remain standing very long that way. And we need Komen's help.
14 comments:
Holy baloney, Katie. I was just getting ready to sign off but will get this moving honto/pronto.
WOW. Unfriending you? That is SO productive.
jms
Thanks for your post, Katie. I'll tell you more personally about my experience working for Komen a while back if you're interested. There is some definite dysfunction. As a PR professional, their approach of not responding and de-friending you is unacceptable. Keep on keeping on; they can't ignore the movement forever.
Katie,
Great post. Goliath (Komen) has such a great opportunity here to be a true leader. That's the part I don't quite understand. What is wrong with retooling, rethinking, reallocating dollars, stepping up and listening, really listening?? What is wrong with change? True leaders evolve in their thinking. Komen has so much to gain and as you said, we need them. Yet, Komen seems to continue down the same path. It reminds me of the recent tv movie, "Too Big to Fail." I haven't seen it, but the title seems to fit Komen somehow.
It would be great if Komen addressed the concerns of the teaming masses storming their gates. Great post, Katie.
Brenda
Great job Katie! The fact that Komen wont even engage in a dialog with the very people it supposedly raises money for sends up some VERY big read flags.
Great job Katie! The fact that Komen wont even engage in a dialog with the very women it supposedly is raising money for sends up some very big red flags.
Thank you Katie for your tenacious spirit and sound analysis.
This is an interesting development. Brinker showing her true colors...I wrote about Poor Pink Goliath awhile back... Wonderful imagery. http://gaylesulik.com/?p=4219
Rock on, Bandit!
For a non-profit organization they have acted as a "for" profit organization for quite sometime. You can go anywhere and see the symbolic pink ribbon on everything! I would like to see an accounting of where ALL the donations are being applied. I can guarantee you will find individuals who are employeed with SG Koman basking in the rewards for working for this "non-profit" organization.
They obviously don't get social media...why have a facebook page if you're just going to delete everyone who doesn't agree with you. It's a space for honest discourse, for the regular person to be able to communicate with large companies, for sharing information.
I was never big on the pink ribbon before, but now I know I will never be giving one red (or pink) cent to Komen. Between them and the save the tatas, i love boobies, etc. people, I'm pretty much over breast cancer nonprofits. If I want to give, it will be to a university doing real research.
Katie, thank you for keeping us informed on this issue. You are not alone. I believe that many of us, throughout the country, are getting emotionally numbed and tired of Pink Ribbon Hell. Last week, I had a professional aquaintance express his frustation: "Where does all this money go? It's been years and years, and we still don't have a cure." For the record, he does not, nor does his family, contribute any $$ to the Pink Ribbon machine. As he graciously explained to me:"We help people locally, prefering to give our money and our time to the local community, where we can actually see the benefits helping people." I was very touched!
A few weeks ago, I spoke with a neighbor, and elderly woman on a fixed income. She was very upset--her granddaughter called her and asked her to sponser her in some pink ribbon event. My neighbor felt guilty that she said no, but held fast to her guns. "Belle_Laide," she said. "I'm on a fixed income and I give what little I can to organizations that can SHOW me where my contribution is going. I have no idea where any money to any 'pink ribbon' group is going and I refuse to give money where a group can't show me how it helps." Like my professional aquaintance, she advocates on a local level, where what she does is proven to have results.
These are two small examples and, I imagine, of no interest to the Pink Ribbon machine. But I believe they are interesting because there are two people who just said NO. We are on emotional manipulation overload with this nonsense.
Local is the way to go.
Bunch of research suggests larger organizations are more difficult to change. Size ferments bureaucracy and commitment to old, previously successful routines. When environment changes, bureaucracies have trouble adapting.
In unhampered markets, size becomes a hindrance and reduces chances of survival (just ask Goliath).
Radical change more likely to come from smaller, nimbler organizations.
Stated differently, the situation you describe is a common one in industry (even NP industries). If the market environment is relatively unhampered, then K may very well lose its place in the industry. Organizations better capable of meeting mkt needs will assume control of the resources.
If the mkt is hampered (via intervention such as licensing requirements, govt subsidies), then inefficiencies of K may persist and perhaps even be rewarded.
For examples of the latter, see GM, big banks over the past 2 yrs.
Katie,
Goliath stinks. They want happy stories of survival while ignoring the people with mets. That's how they make their money....from upbeat stories.
Well, I'm not one who supports Goliath. In fact, it makes me sick.
As usual Katie, you continue to challenge and confront the status quo. It's a pity Komen aren't doing the same thing.
Yes, this is unproductive of Komen. Great post, Katie, and good move to link to Britta's list of ingredients to keep us informed. I think you are on to something. If all of us that disagree with their policies did the same tagging, and they unfriended us in response, I wonder how fast their friend list would shrink. There is power in social media.
Post a Comment