Pink transparency needed

Consumers are becoming skeptical about the pinkification of products. There was a research study done - marketing not medical - titled "Consumers Question Intent and Impact of Breast Cancer Cause Marketing". It was done as part of Cone Research's Trend Tracker Series. 

Here are a few tidbits from it:

"Although three-quarters (74%) of Americans state they are more likely to purchase a breast cancer-related product or service during October over others, with price and quality being equal, they are becoming desensitized and increasingly skeptical.

• 77 percent of consumers think some companies support the breast cancer cause solely for corporate gain
• 68 percent say very few breast cancer cause promotions stand out to them, given the large number of programs in the marketplace
• 30 percent do not know whether their purchases actually benefit the cause"

And here's some more:

"2012 Breast Cancer Cause Marketing TrendsCone Communications’ has identified five leading trends from the breast cancer cause marketing efforts this October, including:

• Diversifying nonprofit partners: No longer do one or two large nonprofits rule the breast cancer space in October. As the breast cancer cause undergoes increased scrutiny, brands are turning to distinct partners for a unique approach and impact. Nonprofits shining through include: Breast Cancer Research Foundation and Young Survival Coalition, among other niche organizations.
• Putting a face on the issue: Whether featuring real-world cancer survivors as campaign models, as in Ford’s Warriors in Pink “Models of Courage,” or naming products after breast cancer victims, such as Caribou Coffee’s “Amy’s Blend,” brands are connecting with consumers through true-life stories, quite literally putting the faces of breast cancer, not the brand, front and center.
• Shifting from the grocery aisle to the beauty aisle: “Pink” once seemed centralized to food and beverage products, but today the fashion and beauty industry is taking center-stage. From cosmetics, to jewelry, to apparel, the bulk of this year’s campaigns are coming from the beauty world.
• Going beyond donations: Some brands, like Avon and Novartis, are providing more than just dollars toward the cause – they are creating opportunities for people affected by breast cancer to connect to critical emotional support through online communities and social networking.
• Curating collections: Companies such as Sephora and Macy’s are offering carefully selected “suites” of products in support of breast cancer, giving consumers a wider selection of items to purchase and maximizing opportunities to capture support.

So perhaps the average consumer is over pinkified as well.