CE Firms Think Pink For Breast Cancer Awareness

By Lisa Johnston On Oct 13 2008 - 6:00am

Manufacturers and retailers from all walks of consumer electronics categories announced their support for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, held throughout October.

Several introduced new pink products (the cause's color of choice) while others said they would be donating a percentage of their sales to breast cancer research foundations.

Multiple digital imaging manufacturers participated, including Canon and Fujifilm. Canon teamed with tennis player Maria Sharapova for its "Pink" campaign, meant to celebrate Canon's 10-year support of the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer.

Canon said it would donate $150,000 to the American Cancer Society, and it also introduced a $279 bundle that includes a pink PowerShot SD1100 IS Elph digital camera, a pink Selphy CP760 compact photo printer, a pink ribbon charm and a mammogram reminder magnet.

Fujifilm announced last month it would begin shipping a digital camera bundle promoting the importance of mammography. The $179 bundle includes a pink FinePix Z20fd, a pink nylon case, a 1GB xD card and a digital photo frame keychain.

The bundle is in support of Fujifilm Medical Systems' Images of Health mammography awareness campaign.

Sony got in on the act with two offers: a portion of sales of certain SKUs would be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and the manufacturer said it would donate $100,000 from the sales of pink Vaio CR notebook bundles and pink Vaio CS notebook PCs during October at participating retailers.

The SR notebook bundle comes with an SR notebook, a pink case and a Bluetooth mouse for $1,499; the Vaio CS notebook PC retails for a suggested $1,214.

Sony said $10 from the sale of each Walkman NWZ-E436FPNK, $50 from the sale of each HDR-TG1 Handycam camcorder, and $75 from the sale of each Vaio Pink SR series notebook bundle sold at Sony Style this month would be donated to the foundation, with a minimum of $25,000 and a maximum of $50,000.

Energizer hopped aboard the cause by providing complimentary spa services for cancer survivors during Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure events. It's the company's second year as an official sponsor of the race and its fifth year to partner with the Komen Foundation. This year, the company will deploy the Energizer ReTreat — a mobile spa that is traveling to 20 communities to give free manicures and massages to breast cancer patients and survivors.

Stops will also be made at local cancer centers and Komen Race events.

The battery manufacturer renewed "its annual commitment to donate 50 cents to Komen for the purchase of any Energizer Max AA eight-pack during the month of October, with a donation of up to $250,000 and a minimum of $100,000 guaranteed." Special-edition pink batteries are also available.

Energizer also joined forces with designer Stephanie Johnson in creation of a pink cosmetic bag, with a $1 donation for every bag redeemed (up to $15,000). The company said the bag can be redeemed by mailing in three proofs of purchase from three Energizer battery packs.

OmniMount said it would hold an eBay auction of what the company is calling a "one-of-a-kind piece of furniture." The hot pink Prism 50, part of the company's Karim collection, will be auctioned off on eBay beginning Oct. 20. OmniMount said 100 percent of the proceeds would be donated to the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer.

The company has also formed a group of employees, family and friends as a team for the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K, scheduled to be held Nov. 8 at Tempe Town Lake in Arizona.

Otterbox, a manufacturer of iPod, cellphone and PDA cases, announced it would donate 10 percent of the purchase price of an iPhone or iPod Nano Defender series Strength case. Donations would be given to the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade. Nano cases retail for $29.95, while the iPhone cases are $49.95.

The KaBling pink series of USB, power, audio, HDMI and CAT5e cables from Cables Unlimited were designed to support the National Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The company recently displayed the cables at the ERCM/Levin Consulting Electronics & Photo Retail Summit, held last month in Marco Island, Fla. (See TWICE, Sept. 29, p. 6.)

Retailers who advertised their support of the cause included OfficeMax and Staples. OfficeMax advertised a "Think Pink" breast cancer awareness program, saying on its Web site that it will donate 5 percent of all sales of qualifying products to "City of Hope to further breast cancer research, treatment and education." The site also reports the retailer will make a minimum donation of $50,000 for all Think Pink promotions through 2008.

Staples also ran promotional pricing on select products. The online-only promotion, which began Sept. 21, was scheduled to run until Oct. 11, and included discounts on certain pink office supplies. Briana Curran, a spokeswoman for the retailer, said Staples was partnering with 13 vendors for the promotion, including Day-Timer, Paper Mate, M&Ms and Post-it. The donation amounts were determined by the vendors and varied in type—Day-Timer promised to donate 10 percent of the proceeds of its Pink Ribbon collection refill pages to the Breast Cancer Research Firm, while Paper Mate said it would donate 10 cents for each designated product sold, up to $100,000.

Curran said this was the third time Staples had "supported Breast Cancer Awareness with the sale of merchandise that directly benefits cancer causes."