As Americans pour their resources into charities central to national recovery efforts, many nonprofits are seeing a slowdown in donations and support. But the communicators
behind October's Breast Cancer Awareness Month are dogged optimists - and their efforts are paying off.
"People are being asked to dig deep in terms of financial and other resources for all the worthy causes," admits Mike Swenson, president of Barkley Evergreen & Partners.
The Kansas City, Mo.-based PR firm works with Lee Jeans and the Susan G. Komen Foundation to mount National Denim Day, the proceeds of which benefit breast cancer research. "In
the last four weeks, we've seen an incredible outpouring of support, in dollars as well as time from the American people, and it's almost as if the country came out of hibernation
from being focused on ourselves," says Swenson.
Denim Day, in fact, exceeded its goal to raise $7.5 million on Oct. 5. Since last year, the campaign has secured commitments from another 300 companies, bringing the total of
corporate participants to more than 19,000.
Other efforts, like an unprecedented $50 million corporate donation to breast cancer causes by Avon Products Foundation, are thriving as well. And while breast cancer awareness
advocates concede that they have an advantage in promoting a cause that evokes a highly personal, emotional response, credit is due to judicious communications and a sensitive yet
sensible PR approach in the wake of the attacks.
The Show Must Go On
That sensibility means campaigns and events scheduled for October are moving forward, albeit with minor changes and adjustments. "Our world is simple: 192,000 women will be
diagnosed this year," says Sally Cooper, director of information services for the National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organizations. "The task is to stay focused and meet that
concern in the context of other concerns. It was hard to figure out if we should go ahead with our usual PR spread, [but we did]," she added.
The American Cancer Society also has carried out its October strategy, says Joann Schellenbach, national director of media relations. After "a great deal of consideration,"
Schellenbach and her team decided to persevere, deciding that October and its events were far enough away from September to not cancel them.
The public relations team did, however, forego events in the immediate aftermath of the attacks. Schellenbach and other executives met with ACS media relations pros around the
country to talk about what was coming up in their communities and to think through which events were too sensitive to continue.
The Komen Foundation also was forced to cancel a few of its major events in September. A mission conference planned for Washington, DC at the end of the month, and three Race
for the Cure events (one planned for New York on the Sunday following the attacks) were cut from the schedule. Plus, several corporate partners, like Yoplait, slashed their
advertising and PR for the cause in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks.
"The upside is, the Race for the Cure events that have taken place have seen an increase in participation, or at least not a drop-off," says Kristin Kelly, communications
manager for The Komen Foundation.
Developing Media Awareness
Campaigns are leveraging the fact that many media outlets, like race participants, are ready to move to a degree of normalcy. Swenson and Lee Jeans cancelled a media tour
planned for New York on National Denim Day, because "we thought that was inappropriate," says Swenson, but they did conduct an aggressive media blitz from Los Angeles. "We did a
satellite media tour on Denim Day, and [Lucy Liu, National Denim Day celebrity spokeswoman] did 24 interviews in three hours with markets all over the country - the demand was
there."
Schellenbach's media stakeholders have also been enthusiastic. She was originally concerned that a planned month-long collaboration between the American Cancer Society and
ABC's "The View" would not occur in light of the pressing national news. But "[the producers] were very enthusiastic about continuing the whole month as planned and have
incorporated [breast cancer information] into the program with ease," Schellenbach reports.
Komen's Kelly went ahead with a book tour for Foundation founder Nancy Brinker and found that long-lead women's magazines -- books working on their January and February issues
-- were anxious to get the story. "We adapted our approach a little. Instead of focusing on national broadcast media as we normally would have, we shifted our focus to those
outlets."
Kelly also has garnered attention from national media still immersed in coverage of the Sept. 11 aftermath. "We have had to be sensitive to what the news is all about -- we
didn't want to look like we were creating a connection between ourselves and the tragedy that didn't exist. But even before I got the first call from reporters," Kelly says, "I
knew there would be questions about how [Sept 11] would affect the nonprofit world."
Kelly and her team generated talking points and spoke to key media contacts about that angle early on. "That was a fine line to walk, but it resulted in placements with ABC
'Nightly News' with Peter Jennings, CNBC, The Washington Post and some pretty major broadcast outlets," Kelly says.
Above all, breast cancer awareness organizations have made visibility and a belief in American generosity their mantra since the attacks. "As the President said in some of his
speeches, this was not just an attack on America, but on the civilized world," Kelly says. "In the civilized world, people take care of each other. You won't sacrifice breast
cancer to support the firemen's fund, you'll just go without tickets to a concert."
Swenson agrees that Americans won't forego support for nonprofits and advises any nonprofit communicator to move ahead with PR efforts. "Do not disappear. Don't think, 'Let's
not do anything for three months.' It'll just be harder to get back in."
Fundraising Backlash
Not every philanthropic effort is running as smoothly as breast cancer campaigns. Lucrative fall and winter fundraising is in jeopardy at organizations nationwide. The
following is a look at the current nonprofit outlook based on national media reports:
- 3,500 people participated in the Oct. 6 National AIDS Walk in Washington, DC, compared with previous walks that included up to 20,000 walkers. (The Washington Post, Oct.
8) - The Make-a-Wish Foundation lost two corporate orders for Christmas cards, totaling $25,000. (The Wall Street Journal, Oct. 8)
- Habitat for Humanity postponed its September direct mailing and laid off 35 people in the wake of the attacks. (The Washington Post, Oct. 8)
- Dress for Success lost $1.5 million in corporate donations planned for the next five years. (The Wall Street Journal, Oct. 8)
Survey Says
Cone Inc. conducted a survey of 1,000 American adults about whether corporations should honor their existing philanthropic commitments, support the Sept. 11 relief funds, or do
both. Although the survey results have not yet been released, CEO Carol Cone tells PR NEWS that 90% of respondents believe companies should do both.
(Contacts: Cone, 617/272-8302; Cooper, 212/889-0606; Kelly, 972/855-1600; Schellenbach, 212/382-2169; Swenson: 816/842-1500)