I received by e mail an ‘update’ on the above campaign - which has upon reading left me furious.
Why? Well in BCC’s wisdom they have decided not to listen to the very many voices on this website who had already spoken of their concern re the name of ASDA’s campaign i.e. ‘Tickled Pink’ - many of those voices - including mine - considered it at best inappropriate and at worst utterly offensive. Sadly some of those voices are now dead and can no longer express their feelings regarding this, but all the same they should have been heard, as we all should.
Instead BCC decided to ‘commission an independant research agency’ - please BCC tell me that our fundraising efforts did not pay for this! If we did - how much did it cost?
Apparently the name has a ‘recognised aqppeal’ - although a minority of peole with breast cancer found it ‘quite unappealing’ - so we are a minority but no more significant!
Surely this is common sense?
One would have thought it better to slowly get rid of the Tickled Pink and replace it with something more appropriate - hopefully with more than a 47% recognition.
I am delighted that ASDA raises so much money for bc charities, I am enraged and embarassed that this project will continuie to be called ‘Tickled Pink’ while women continue to die of this disease, if you don’t see how this infantilises bc, I despair.
On the whole I agree, although as a brand or image it seems engrained in our consciousness and there has been an enormous amount of awareness raising (and money raised) through this type of thing. However the fluffy, pink frou-frou image is so far removed from the reality of most women’s lives as well as from the reality of BC, it is tasteless and ill-conceived to say the least in my opinion, and not something I can relate to on any personal level.
Posted by Eliza-2 threads running so I have joined them up
Kind regards
Lucy
Eliza says on 11 Feb 2010 19:44
I thought it was Asda who had commissioned the “research”.
I am not totally surprised at the result but I think it is a great pity that they are choosing to ignore the offence the name causes to so many women dealing with this disease. I can’t imagine any of us being tickled pink to receive a diagnosis of breast cancer.
personally i quite like it… what suits one person doesnt suit somebody else… i wasnt tickled pink about having cancer but i am tickled pink about getting through treatment, making some fabulous friends and looking forward to the rest of my life… however long that may be.
I don’t have any problem with it either. I don’t think anyone is “Tickled Pink” about having cancer.
Until whatever government of the day starts putting more money into a cure for all kinds of cancer I will go along with any name that gets people putting money towards research for (all kinds of cancer).
Unfortunately, there are a lot of other terminal illnesses out there that don’t quite grab the headlines the way that cancer does, and go without the same kind of funding that Tickled Pink raises, so I appreciate the fundraising that ASDA does.
I also buy fund raising items from Boots and Marks and Spencer. Whether we liked it or not ASDA has the bigger market share. I know my local ASDA does an enormous amount of fundraising for various charities as well (especially in our local area) and the hard work the staff put into raising funds is fantastic.
I agree with lulu and thistle - I do not find it offensive and for many years before bding diagnosed with breast cancer supported the appeal and often bought the products from asda. Wearing my tickled pink gear to pilates started up discussions so it obviously does rais e awareness. Also the colour pink is now very much linked to breast cancer, just look at some of the fab photos of ladies on site. Each to our own. marli
hi
I fully understand those who dont like the tickled pink campaign by asda as having breast cancer means you have nothing to be tickled pink about. Eveyones feelings and thoughts are very important on here though I myself dont have a problem with the campaign and have bought tickled pink products. Its a now a well known phrase associated with raising money and awareness for the breast cancer cause and most people now know what it stands for.I dont think for one minute they take the disease lightly. My breast cancer is triple negative and if the tickled pink campaign helps raise the funds for the research that finds the cure then im all for it. Thats just my personal opinion and does not detract from those who dont agree with the campaign.
I personally don’t have any problem with the Tickled Pink campaign. No one is tickled pink to be diagnosed with bc but personally I’ve found that wearing pink products does stand out and if it helps fundraising I’m all for it.
Although the research was conducted by an independent organisation I think that the questions were designed so that the answers could show ASDA in as good light a light as possible. For them this has been a damage limitation exercise.
I too think that the money they have raised is great, however I will not shop at ASDA. I find the Tickled Pink slogan so inappropriate. I prefer to fundraise directly than to buy ‘pink’ products.
Hi All
Just a thought we moan about the “Tickled pink” slogan, on a male cancer awareness site “James Bum 002” mission: raise awareness of bowel cancer, “Mr Testicles” mission: raise awareness of testicular cancer,and “Near naked man” mission: reduce embarrassment raise awareness of prostrate cancer in young men. malecancer.org/
I dont have a problem with ASDA Tickled Pink either, the name is widely reconised and in the 13 years since the campagins launch its raised millions of pounds for BC. I think to change the name after being established for that many years would be confusing and possibly damageing to BC funding. Ive never associated the name to mean "to be Tickled Pink to have BC " that would be ridiculas but i like to think ASDA and the donators are Tickled Pink to be fundraising for breast cancer.
C Me, just read the link, OMG , and we think we have problems !!
All the best
Linda x
Hi Celeste I’m sadly not the least surprised at the outcome.
I detest the ‘Tickled Pink’ name and BCC’s choice of ‘In the Pink.’ I have literally lost count of the number of friends I have lost to this disease. Because I’m ‘lucky’ to have lived so long with my bone mets the list of names is a long one. A small group of us used to meet locally but I’m now the last one alive. Over the last 7 years I’ve been to too many funerals and seen too many grieving families.
My husband and my daughter aren’t Tickled Pink I’m dying slowly of cancer…neither am I. It used to reduce me to tears to see the Tickled merchandise but I’m now resigned to the fact that in charity world it’s the catchy cheerful campaign name that’s all important. Yes the campaign raises lots of money. By choosing ‘Tickled Pink’ it’s, in my opinion, sending out the wrong message altogether but sadly that doesn’t seem to matter.
Take Care Celeste…B.xx
I am hardly qualified to comment, as only diagnosed last week. But what I am shocked at on a daily basis is how horrific this disease is, and how far reaching it is across my entire life. Everything is impacted in a negative way; next week half term, the children are on holiday without me. Summer holiday cancelled. Work disrupted and having to hire someone to help, meetings cancelled and huge issues already looming with having to take time off work… Family in tears and children frightened… this is all BEFORE treatment and the real effects of breast cancer.
Even after saying that, I cant complain about the campaign if it generates money… but I think that perhaps they should balance ‘tickled pink’ with WHY it is so important, the real impact of breast cancer - pain, destitution, fear, loss, treatment, surgery, secondaries, … and then if you are REALLY lucky, you live with it (albeit a different life full of worry, fear…), but in too many cases you die!
I am ashamed to say that I believed breast cancer to be a ‘soft disease’…
I hate tickled pink and all its connotations, but can see that ASDA and BCC are more concerned with publicity and raising funds than offending the people the campaign is meant to be for. Do they really think potential donors are so shallow that they cannot be engaged in a more realistic and honest way, or does everything have to be pink and frilly? I hope people do have fun whilst fundraising, but I don’t think encouraging the buying of pink tat is the best way to promote the cause.
nicky