Is that “pink ribbon” product for awareness really helping anyone?

There are a lot of products on the market sporting a colored icon for awareness...

...such as pink ribbons for breast cancer or blue light bulbs for autism. But according to David Hessekiel, founder and president of the Cause Marketing Forum, consumers need to look beyond the ribbon. To be sure the purchase of that product really gives back to the cause it’s promoting, check the package for the following information:

* The name of the specific organization that will benefit—not just a vague promise to support research for that disease. 

* The portion of the purchase price or total sales that will be donated to charity. 

* What the consumer must do to trigger the donation. Some campaigns require you to mail in lids, labels, UPC codes or some other proof of purchase. 

* The campaign’s expiration date, which may close long before all of the product is off the store shelves.

A recent study found that we’re a generous bunch. 80% of consumers said they would consider switching products in support of a cause near to their heart. Manufacturers have access to that data as well and it’s up to the consumer to be sure your purchase is actually helping a cause and not just the product claiming to care.