A Satirical Comment: Has Komen 'Lost the Brand'?

Ronnie Hughes

Pink Ribbon Blues is pleased to share an essay by friend and filmmaker, Ronnie Hughes. Ronnie is the partner of Sarah Horton, author of ‘Being Sarah’ and a contributor to the Pink Ribbon Blues Blog. Together, in Britain, Ronnie and Sarah have run their social enterprise ‘a sense of place’ for nearly seventeen . . . → Read More: Has Komen ‘Lost the Brand’?

“The Emperor Has No Clothes”: Komen for the Cure Exposed

I’m pleased to have written a guest editorial for KomenWatch about the recent scandal involving the Komen organization.

KomenWatch (www.komenwatch.org) is a public service website aimed at “sharing information and generating critical discussion about the largest breast cancer fundraiser in the world, Susan G. Komen for the Cure®.” The KomenWatch website includes a large, searchable database of . . . → Read More: “The Emperor Has No Clothes”: Komen for the Cure Exposed

10. {ReThink Your Pitch} Q&A With A National Brand Over Breast Cancer…

Kate-Madonna Hindes is an industry leader and national author and speaker on emotional integrity and authenticity in today’s online media. Her columns are regularly published in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Women of HR, GirlmeetsGeek, Brazen Careerist and JobDig. With 15+ years of combined, published, experience for news media, state government and Fortune 500 businesses, she regularly covers . . . → Read More: 10. {ReThink Your Pitch} Q&A With A National Brand Over Breast Cancer…

“The Scent of Exploitation”

KomenWatch (www.komenwatch.org) is a public service website aimed at “sharing information and generating critical discussion about the largest breast cancer fundraiser in the world, Susan G. Komen for the Cure®.” The KomenWatch website includes a large, searchable database of news sources and other articles – dating back to the 1990s – that highlight public concerns about . . . → Read More: “The Scent of Exploitation”

The Battle “For the Cure” – The Phrase, That Is

Laura Bassett wrote a scathing essay in Huffington Post about Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s legal dealings to win control over the phrase “for the cure.” According to Bassett, “Komen has identified and filed legal trademark oppositions against more than a hundred…charities, including Kites for a Cure, Par for The Cure, Surfing for . . . → Read More: The Battle “For the Cure” – The Phrase, That Is

From Disease-Specific Symbol to Brand Logo

The purpose of brand recognition is to influence long-term consumption, loyalty, and cultural identity–to influence how consumers think of ourselves and, in turn, what we do and what we support. Brands present niche markets with prepackaged symbols that enable consumers to express our lifestyles, dispositions, and ideals in terms of a cultural system that . . . → Read More: From Disease-Specific Symbol to Brand Logo

“Pink Ribbon Blues,” Book

Paperback includes new Introduction on fundraising controversies and 4-page color insert with images of, and reactions to, the pinking of breast cancer (Oxford, 2012).


Order the Paperback » 


Read Reviews » 


Breast Cancer Consortium

Working across disciplines, constituencies, and nations to change the breast cancer paradigm.

Recent Sulik Interviews

Angelina Jolie and the 'Breast Cancer Gene' Listen to KCRW »

Our Feel-Good War on Breast Cancer. The New York Times Magazine.

The Story Behind the Pink Ribbon Campaign Sisters Talk Radio

WISH Interview Women's International Summit for Health

Making Cancer About The Patient, Not The Body Part CBS Pittsburgh

Sexy breast cancer campaigns anger many patients USA Today

The perils of pink The Daily

Komen pink campaign creates breast-cancer blues for some Dallas Morning News

A yellow flag for the NFL's pink New York Daily

Gayle Sulik named #7 in SharecareNow’s Top 10 Online Influencers in Breast Cancer

"Breast cancer cancer causes so easily derailed" Philly Inquirer

"Komen Charity Under Microscope for Funding, Science" Reuters

"The Fight Against Cancer - And Abortion? Salon.com

"Susan G. Komen For the Cure defunds Planned Parenthood." In Deep with Angie Coiro

"Amid Breast Cancer Month, Is there Pink Fatigue?" NPR's All Things Considered

"How is Breast Cancer Culture Undermining Women's Health?" America’s Radio News Network

"Pink Ribbon Culture and Breast Cancer" The Kojo Nnamdi Show

"The Big Business of Breast Cancer" 
Marie Claire

"Does Breast Cancer Awareness Month Crowd Out Other Diseases?" Slate

"Pink Inc. Has Many Starting to See Red" The Sacramento Bee

"Get Your Pink Off" Ottawa Citizen

"Komen Pink Ribbons Raise Green and Questions" USA Today

** MORE MEDIA LINKS **
** MORE RADIO INTERVIEWS **

From the Gallery

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