When Susan G. Komen for the Cure and KFC, the fast-food chain best known for its buckets of “finger lickin’ good” fried chicken, decided to start a new fund-raising effort, they probably never expected the deal would cause so much indigestion.
With its Buckets for the Cure promotion, KFC will donate 50 cents to Komen for every bucket of chicken sold in more than 5,000 outlets through May 9.
The promotion, which started April 5, guarantees that Komen will receive at least $1-million, and up to $8.5-million, depending on sales. For the promotion, KFC is selling chicken in pink buckets that bear the names of breast-cancer survivors and other women who died from the disease. To date, according to KFC, it has raised nearly $1.8-million.
But the money and commemorative touches have done nothing to quell criticism about the ties between the charity and a company that sells fat-laden foods, which have been found to predispose women to breast cancer. Some donors have said they will no longer support the charity as a result of the deal.
“We’ve accepted what Komen told us is their brand (women’s health), and this partnership flies in the face of that,” writes Nancy Schwartz in Getting Attention, her nonprofit marketing blog.
Scott Henderson, in his Rally the Cause blog, scours KFC’s own nutrition listings, which show a high caloric and fat content for its products. He contrasts that with information on Komen’s Web site, citing studies showing increased risk of cancer among women who gain 20 or more pounds after age 18.
While many people “might focus their outrage or contempt on KFC for this [promotion], the same scrutiny needs to be put on Susan G. Komen for the Cure,” he writes. “How much is that $8.5-million worth to the cause, knowing the health damage these pink buckets will cause?”
“It’s like … Smith & Wesson funding a rifle range at Columbine High School,” writes Joe Waters, director of cause marketing at Boston Medical Center in his blog, Selfish Giving. “With 2,400 calories and 160 grams of fat, a bucket of extra-crispy KFC should include the wig you’ll need for cancer treatments after eating this crap for years.”
Readers of the blogs have added written comments saying the promotion is a big mistake. Some say they are Komen donors who, because of the deal, will stop giving to the charity.
Asked to comment on the controversy, Andrea Raider, Komen’s director of marketing and communications, admits that the charity has received some e-mail messages criticizing the KFC promotion. “But for the most part, reaction in the general public has been positive,” she says.
Ms. Raider says that one of Komen’s motivations for doing the promotion is that it allows the charity to get its message to women in neighborhoods it normally doesn’t reach. Nine hundred of KFC’s fast-food restaurants, she says, are in cities or towns where the charity does not have an affiliate.
What’s your take? Should Komen have entered into this deal?
18 Responses to A Cancer Charity’s Promotion With a Fried-Chicken Chain Makes Donors Angry
jcampisi - April 22, 2010 at 3:33 pm
One Word- Appalling. Apparently SBK does not have any standards for corporate relationships. Although they purport to want to reach high risk populations that they don’t currently have access to, I don’t see any mention of educational initiatives as part of this campaign.As both a career fundraiser and breast cancer survivor I find this unconscionable.
nanc2797 - April 22, 2010 at 4:26 pm
Big bad for the Komen folks. I see it as a huge, greedy misstep by Komen that significantly undermines its brand. More here: http://bit.ly/9FPfGbBest,Nancy
barry - April 22, 2010 at 4:28 pm
2 words-lighten up! SBK is not saying go eat extra crispy every other day. Hopefully everyone knows enough to eat “unhealthy” in moderation. Does SBK have to say no to millions if Baskin Robbins wants to have a pink ice cream cone? Come on–focus!
specialprojects - April 22, 2010 at 4:37 pm
What is appalling to me is the lack of awareness on how this is a GREAT way to get the message about breast cancer awareness out to women who are not otherwise exposed to the message. This is especially true for poor women and women of color who are diagnoised at higher rates than whites and at more advanced stages. Before you can educate someone, they need to be aware of the issue and the risks. I am fortunate enough to have three women in my immediate family who are breast cancer survivors. I lost a dear friend to the disease in November and her last words were “Do whatever you can and whatever it takes to fight this disease and find a cure.” This will do more than raise money for SBK, it will raise awareness in groups of women who don’t have the access to healthcare and information that I dare say most of us posting comments do have.
lesliermarqua - April 22, 2010 at 4:47 pm
Kudos to Komen for maximizing the $$ inherent in this opportunity! I hope the Colonel gets socked for the whole potential $8.5 million. And as both a survivor and a professional fund raiser myself, I have to say that there have been any number of Komen partnerships over the years that have rubbed me the wrong way, but I am grateful for the monies and awareness that have been generated!–Leslie Marqua
debora251 - April 22, 2010 at 4:47 pm
Hummm… I wonder what is printed on these pink buckets … Is KFC providing women with a call to action on how to learn more/how to prevent/where to get screened??? How about a 800 number, url, etc?? Just seeing pink doesn’t always translate to taking action.
specialprojects - April 22, 2010 at 5:05 pm
Debora251, I would encourage you and others to 1) visit a KFC and see the bucket yourself. It is powerful. 2) if you can’t do that, please visit this website – http://www.bucketsforthecure.com/ – and click on any of the photos. These are the stories of those who are fighting and unfortunately those who have lost loved ones to breast cancer. That is, of course, what this is all about. People fighting breast cancer, fighting it successfully and ultimately finding a cure. I think I’m going to buy a bucket tonight to support them. Total raised so far is now over $2.4 million.
jfritz - April 22, 2010 at 5:30 pm
The campaign is startlingly lucrative for Komen, but I just don’t buy it…and not just the chicken. I had resisted seeing Food, Inc, the documentary about our industrialized food industry, but last night (after I knew about the Komen/KFC campaign) it was shown on PBS so I watched. Halfway through the two-hour program, I had to turn off the tv for fear of nightmares and with the determination to improve my repertoire of vegetarian recipes. It’s not just the fat and calories that fly in the face of health, but the fast food industry itself. And the fact that these pink buckets of chicken are being sold primarily in low income areas makes it even worse. What is the message anyway? Does the bucket say, “If you eat this you’ll be at greater risk of breast cancer”? Instead, it endows bad food with an aura of goodness. Komen has just handed over a big shiny halo to KFC.
bloggerkate - April 23, 2010 at 9:48 am
Reminds me of when I worked for the American Diabetes Association and Krispie Kreme was our Phonathon Sponsor. It seemed silly at the time, and seems silly now. Cause-related marketing efforts should be mission-focused. If that’s not happening, organizations are open targets for criticism on both sides.#BK
vmateo - April 23, 2010 at 10:32 am
specialprojects,Do you work for Komen, or an agency that is paid by them? I’ve been in the business long enough to have to wonder. An inspirational story on a bucket is NOT education. Having a hard time thinking that anyone can even read the inspiration through the grease soaking through the bucket. What a joke of a promotion.
breastcanceraction - April 23, 2010 at 1:48 pm
Thanks for this post, Holly. It is a truly offensive and harmful alliance. Breast Cancer Action’s “What the Cluck?” campaign is calling out KFC and Susan G. Komen for the Cure on this pinkwashing partnership. Over 1,000 people from all over the country have written to them to denounce this pinkwashing. You can find the campaign here: http://www.thinkbeforeyoupink.org.
lindsayn - April 23, 2010 at 3:33 pm
Komen’s brand is so strong that this possible ’cause-marketing misstep’ will have been forgotten by May 10, and they will probably get the whole $8.5MM. Yeah, its a really poor choice of partners, but Komen isn’t about to turn down something that huge.
mom2rose - April 23, 2010 at 4:11 pm
In a perfect world, no one would eat unhealthy food and every company would make sure that its products cause no harm to anyone. In the current reality of the world, we must meet people where they are and go from there. I find hope that this highly unlikely partnership was forged and I believe it will do good for the cause. Might it be elitist to believe “the cause” is too good to go slumming around with people who actually eat poorly? Do we want to help “those people” or just preach to the choir? Better decisions start with awareness. So now, bring on the pink cigarette packaging and get the conversations going. (Maybe pink packaging should be a requirement!)
gliwski - April 25, 2010 at 12:04 pm
Controversial, at the very least. Suicidal, at worst. I am sure the charity finance and bean counters are uncomfortably sitting at the edge of their chairs watching how many core repeat donor dollars stop coming in for every KFC dollar that is generated by this one time promotion.Necessity is the mother of invention, specially during these unique economic harsh times. But is it wise to make such a blatant soul selling pact with the devil? I would not gamble it.
specialprojects - April 27, 2010 at 3:47 pm
vmateo,To be very clear, I do not work for Komen or KFC. I work for a community foundation. My only connection to Komen was walking in a Race for the Cure event in memory of a dear friend who bravely fought her battle with cancer. Nothing to do with cancer is a joke, as I am reminded of everyday when I visit my father who is suffering from cancer and currently undergoing agressive chemothepary in an effort to save his life. In a perfect world, I might be joining those of you who are criticizing Komen for this effort. But in a perfect world, there would be no cancer.
masonwasp - April 28, 2010 at 11:28 am
Regardless of the health issues, the ad campaign is simply bizarre. I laughed out loud when I saw it the first time – some girl holding a basket of FRIED CHICKEN like it was an urn of ashes or a trophy, smiling bravely, and saying, “for my mom.” What a great way to honor someone. With fast food. Yay.
carricraver - April 28, 2010 at 4:36 pm
Encouraging people to eat unhealthy food as a way to help eliminate breast cancer is insane. Please join our group dedicated to ending this terribly misguided partnership that only helps KFC by lending Komen’s (once) good name to their unhealthy brand. We are encouraging people to instead donate to Breast Cancer Action.http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=120671484615719
saveourbees - April 30, 2010 at 7:03 am
Surely the only question that matters is when do we want an end to breast cancer, in 20 years or 100 years? Dollars = research = cures: lives saved. More dollars = more research = more cures: more lives saved. Fast foward 20 years when thousands fewer are dying: is anyone complaining that the new drug treatment that is keeping them alive was developed using KFC dollars. No.