The Value of Awareness

A few weeks ago a friend of mine posted this on Facebook:

If I see any of you post your bra color on Facebook, I will personally send you a bill for $10 to be paid to the breast cancer research foundation of my choice.

Honestly, I was insulted by her post. Not because I was dying to share what color bra I happened to put on that morning, but because she had decided how I, along with the rest of her Facebook friends, should interact with a specific cause.

My reaction to her post surprised me. I’ve talked a lot of smack about awareness campaigns throughout my career. I’ve called them useless and a waste of time and money. I should have been applauding her, or at least “liking” her post. But I wasn’t.

It was then, as I stared at my screen, considering how I should respond to her post, I noticed her profile picture: a picture of her posing next to a 16-foot-tall hot pink bra.

Wait, what?

More than anything, that ironic juxtaposition of profile picture and dictatorial post on my friend’s Facebook page motivated me to reexamine my position on awareness campaigns.  And after a lot of internet searching, what I learned is this:

When done well, awareness campaigns are invaluable.

Awareness campaigns help to bring little-known issues into the light. Much like advertising, awareness campaigns seek to put an issue, cause, or organization at the front of your mind. When they are thoughtful and goal oriented, awareness campaigns can serve as the first step of larger advocacy or fundraising initiatives.

Because this entire post was inspired by a breast cancer awareness post, let’s examine National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM) as an awareness campaign.

According to the American Cancer Society, NBCAM is a nationwide campaign dedicated to increasing awareness about the importance of the early detection of breast cancer. Originally launched in 1985 with only two supporting partners, NBCAM has evolved into a cross-sector awareness behemoth. The success of NBCAM is reflected in all aspects of the cause: from philanthropic dollars raised to health policies created. The nation is aware of breast cancer and is putting their time, talent, and treasure towards defeating this woman-killer. Everything, from coffee cups to quarterbacks, has been washed in pink. And yet, at the root of all the hot pink hoopla, the message remains the same: early detection of breast cancer saves lives.

Reflecting on my friend’s Facebook post, I have to wonder. If the disease for which she was fundraising wasn’t associated with a hugely successful awareness campaign, would her post have been as blunt?

I doubt it.

For starters, her post would have been much longer. She would have had to educate her readers about what breast cancer is. Then she would have had to make her case as to why it was an important cause to support. Finally, she would have had to position breast cancer as the most urgent cause her friends might encounter.

Instead, her post denigrating an awareness campaign activity stood on the shoulders of nearly 30 years of awareness campaigning.

I should probably send my friend a note thanking her. Her post has made me an awareness campaign convert. I’ve redefined what I call awareness and I understand its value.

So write love on your arms.
Dump buckets of ice water on your head.
Turn off your lights for an hour.
Grow a November mustache.
Post the color of your bra.

Do what you can to raise awareness of issues you are passionate about.

Because awareness campaigns can change the world.