The Brand of Breast Cancer Awareness on Social Media

We're only 4 days into October and I can't resist the urge to wear pink, only pink and nothing but pink! Why you ask? Well, why not?! Everywhere you turn it's pink, pink, pink! The Orange Room on the Today Show went pink, the top of the Empire State building was pink the night of October 1st and inevitably this weekend the NFL will be doused with pink cleats, ribbons and jerseys. Ok, so there is a reason everything is pink and you probably already know why: October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM). So, buckle up kids, because if it hasn't already the color pink is about to take over your lives month.

I know what you are probably thinking, what the heck does BCAM have to do with a social media and marketing class? Let me clue you in, BCAM is it's own brand! It has it’s own month to promote it's cause, not to mention it's own logo and universal symbol, specialty color, social media campaigns, sponsored events and even celebrity spokes people. But probably the most important part of the BCAM brand is the emotional bond it has created with it's audience. The likelihood that you, the reader of this blog, has been effected, either directly or indirectly, by breast cancer is extremely high. As the video below shows, 1 in 8 women will develop invasive breast cancer at some point in their lives.

That is some serious and scary stuff and makes me wonder, does it really belong on social media? The answer is YES! Social media is a HUGE platform to discuss breast cancer awareness, education and prevention.

Social Media Campaigns to Help Fight Breast Cancer

Estee Lauder "We're Stronger Together"
The Estee Lauder company began it's breast cancer awareness campaign in 1992 with the launch of the pink ribbon, the symbol for breast cancer health. Since then Estee Lauder has raised more then $53 million dollars to support breast cancer health, awareness and research.  With the 2014 Campaign, Estee Lauder is giving people the opportunity share their own stories with #BCAstrength. The idea behind the campaign is to engage it's audience with stories of families and survivors while remembering that we're all in this together. Hear their stories, share your own and donate.

#BCSM  The Intersection of Breast Cancer and Social Media
#BCSM (Breast Cancer Social Media) is an online community and social network that is dedicated to both men and women affected by breast cancer. Their website connects their audience to online resources such as blogs and twitter chats to everything breast cancer related from support and survivorship to research and treatment. Every Monday night, year -round, at 9pm #BCSM hosts a Twitter chat which focuses on a specific topic related to breast cancer @#BCSMChat

Keep A Breast #CHECKYOURSELFIE
The Keep A Breast foundation's mission is to "eradicate breast cancer for future generations" by focusing on young people affected by cancer globally. Their goal is to "educate people about prevention, early detection, and cancer-causing toxins in our everyday environment". Since 2000, Keep A Breast has produced their signature "i love boobies" bracelets which were so popular among teens , many schools tried to ban students from wearing them to school. This year they are taking their BCAM campaign to social media with #CHECKYOURSELFIE to encourage education and prevention of breast cancer. 

Keep A Breast says "The #CHECKYOURSELFIE  campaign...asks people to pledge their commitment to a monthly self-check by downloading a mobile app and posting a #CHECKYOURSELFIE image to social media encouraging more young people to become “self-aware” when it comes to knowing your body and your breasts".

What Should You Do to Support Breast Cancer Awareness?
So this October if you want to do more then just wear the color pink to support breast cancer awareness here are some things to consider:

•  Think before you pink. Do your research before you buy a product that claims to support breast cancer program. Find out how much of the proceeds actually goes to breast cancer research and prevention.
• Donate! Find a organization that's breast cancer goals you feel strongly about. Use the Charity Navigator to find out which organizations are best rated and use their donations to prevent and cure breast cancer.
• Educate. Educate yourself on the facts of prevention. Create an early deduction plan with help from the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. 

And finally don't be afraid to explore social media for more information about BCAM.  Twitter is constantly trending with breast cancer awareness hashtags , explore survivors stories with #pinkpower and share on your own social media platforms to promote awareness.