On the outset it’s cute. Supporting breast cancer research by purchasing a chicken breast – I get it. It’s even in a cute pink tub and branded buckets for the cure. But, are you scratching your head on this one too?
YUM Brands KFC, has launched a campaign to provide a donation of up to $8.5 million – a potential record-breaking donation – to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Just go to your nearest KFC and purchase a pink bucket of sodium and fat rich fried chicken or the less sodium and fat packed grilled chicken - and help the cause. However, the verdict is still out on all the causes associated with breast cancer – including the risk from sodium and fat rich foods.
Barbara Brenner, exec at Breast Cancer Action, a watchdog group, denigrated Komen Foundation with this quote: "This will keep them (Komen) in business for years. They talk about a cure, but this partnership will create more breast cancer.”
Ouch!
So, has Komen missed their mark on developing support for their cause? Research says a definite “yes.”
Studies have shown (Gareth Smith, Journal Marketing Management 4/04, Vol. 20) that the connection with a cause needs to make a valuable connection in the consumers mind to be effective. Synergy provides credibility to both the cause and the supporting company. I'm not a cancer researcher, but I'm thinking this may be a bit of a conflict - and hence - would be perceived by consumers as missing the relationship purpose. I'm not sure who looses on this one - KFC or Komen.
Cone’s recent Trend Tracker report stated that 56% of consumers feel better about a nonprofit when they partner with a company. I wonder how this makes everyone feel about Komen?
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