Reversal of Fortunes: How to kill your cash cow the Komen way
Posted: February 3, 2012 Filed under: abortion rights, religious extremists, Reproductive Health, Reproductive Rights, War on Women, Women's Rights | Tags: Piinkwashing, Radical Right Activists, Susan G. Komen 29 Comments
Schools that teach marketing for nonprofits will undoubtedly use the recent Komen debacle as a case study in how to radically change your brand for worse in a matter of hours. Komen’s decision to defund breast cancer screenings at Planned Parenthood has turned into an example of mismanagement as well as mangled message. Komen was fairly well known by those that care as an institution more interested in marketing than its mission. The ill-timed decision has undoubtedly brought some of its worse decisions out into the light of day. My guess is that Komen will not be able to put its Humpty Dumpty foundation back together again. Here are some of the reasons why.
Komen was in such a hurry to please some of its new associates that it obviously didn’t plan its response or gauge the backlash. It underestimated the power of women and the power of social networking. This comes when you listen to only one side and the Komen organization appears to have been listening to right wing advocates that were more concerned about their own personal agendas than Komen’s broader mission. They hired women that were part and parcel of the current war on women who pushed until Komen’s board broke. This should demonstrate that you really need to be careful with whom you climb into bed.
As heartening as the outpouring and the reversal has been, and as satisfying as it’s been on some level to watch Komen’s PR strategy implode, the initial decision is still bad news, and it comes after a year of bad policy. One of the primary items on the right-wing agenda since the GOP swept into Congress in 2010 has been to isolate, ostracize, harass and shame Planned Parenthood. They’ve tried to de-fund it at the federal and state levels and launched a bogus investigation. Planned Parenthood and all abortion providers are part of a never-ending paranoid obsession. Many bloggers have been comparing it to the Salem, Massachusetts hysteria, the kind of witch-hunt that taints everyone by association.
They’ve already succeeded in making abortion a pariah among medical procedures, the only one not funded by Medicaid, the only one hushed up and shunted aside. Now they’re trying to extend that blacklist to Planned Parenthood, and backlash aside, Komen’s move shows that this relentless campaign has met with some success.
Komen’s board must’ve become progressively insular. This is something that is ill-advised when you’re a service organization that relies on the donations of a broad group of donors. They removed their democratic lobbyist and lost their primary scientist. By doing this and hiring right wing activist and Quitterella pal, Karen Handel, Komen sealed their fate. No amount of protesting about the “unpolitical” nature of the defunding decision takes away the well-documented change in direction. The press have found smoking pink guns in less than 48 hours.
Before Handel’s hiring, Komen’s lobbying shop was staunchly Democratic — from its head to its hired guns, former Democratic aides did most of the heavy lifting on everything from the breast cancer stamp to breast cancer research to its advocacy on the health care bill. And when their lead lobbyist, former Democratic staffer Jennifer Luray, quietly left in 2010, she took with her a six-figure severance package not in keeping with an employee that just found a new job.
At the time Handel was hired as a consultant — shortly after Luray left — Handel told the local magazine Northside Woman that Komen was her first and only client, and that her role was to “[work] with [the affiliates] to make sure they are as strong as they can be,” adding, “we’re making sure there’s a good relationship between the national group and the affiliate group [sic].” She told the Atlanta Trend last year, “Everybody understands that budgets are really, really tight in virtually every state. And that means that every program, no matter how worthwhile, is on the table to be scrutinized.” That would seem to belie Komen Foundation President Nancy Brinker’s assertion today that Handel wasn’t involved in the decision to end most affiliates’ grants to Planned Parenthood for breast cancer screenings, let alone her assertion that none of their decisions were “political.”
Interestingly, before Brinker took the reins of the organization itself and Handel came on board, Komen’s lobbyists had typically leaned to the left, especially since the Advocacy Alliance opened.
Now, the change in mission is clearly seen. We’re seeing the branding of pink hope hand guns and carcinogenic perfumes. We’re reading about how Komen has started defunding stem cell research and hearing about the lobbying efforts made during the HCRA
passage that indicated Komen did not have the interests of under-served women in mind. Their brand is shot.
There has been plenty of controversy from Komen to date ranging from accusations they are denying links to cancer because of donations they receive to suing smaller organizations for using “for the cure” in their marketing. But they’ve weathered it because they’ve remained focused on what is and should be a completely non-partisan cause — preventing, treating and curing breast cancer. They’ve attracted women and men of all political stripes and backgrounds to their cause. It was a safe place for corporations to support the cause. Komen’s board thought they were simply cutting off a grant, for what many believe to be ideological reasons driven by Karen Handel, but what they were really doing is changing their entire mission. By taking a side in the abortion debate they essentially decided: we only want to work with men and women on the anti-abortion side of the debate, cutting off at least 50% if not more of their support.
I’d bet the board didn’t realize that’s what they were doing, but given that fact there’s no communications strategy that could have saved them. They could have handled things much better, but that was crossing the Rubicon for them. The lesson for nonprofits here is you have to always bring strategic decisions back to your mission and your supporters. How would they perceive it? Mission statements aren’t something top of mind every day and they usually aren’t something we can rattle off in an elevator. But that’s why they exist, to guide you as things like this come up.
Here’s one troubling account of other things Komen’s been up to.
Upon calling my GOP senator and speaking with his aide, I was shocked to hear her tell me “Sen.__ can’t sign on as a co-sponsor to the bill because all the breast cancer groups aren’t in agreement on it.” Shocked, I asked her who was opposing it. She told me that Komen opposed the bill. When I asked her why, she explained that Komen felt that treatment for uninsured breast cancer patients should be funded through private donations, like the pink ribbon race. I was speechless, in shock. A phone call to another activist confirmed it was true – Komen was lobbying behind the scenes to kill the bill. A moment later, Sen.__’s aide called me back and begged me not to repeat our conversation to anyone, that she had given me the information by mistake.
Thus my lesson about Komen began in 2000. They spend a lot of money lobbying for a very different agenda.
The bill passed anyway and Bill Clinton, who pushed hard in Congress for its passage, was happy to sign it. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the end of Komen (and its founder, Nancy Brinker’s) political maneuvering to stall or kill legislation in Congress and in state legislatures that was supported by other breast cancer advocacy groups.
They fought behind the scenes in my state to prevent the governor from adopting the Treatment Program. They worked for several years to stall or kill the Breast Cancer & Environmental Research Act. In the end, they eviscerated it by removing new funding for environmental research and substituting a panel to review all research on breast cancer & environment. Using private funds, they recently collaborated with the Institute of Medicine to develop said report. Released last December, it sadly detailed the same old arguments that there’s no evidence of links between environmental toxins and that no further research should be done on the subject since everyone has those toxins in their bodies already. Instead they chose to blame breast cancer patients for getting the disease (more here).
They have also been accused of “pinkwashing” the disease.
Many companies that raise funds for breast cancer also make products that are linked to the disease. Breast Cancer Action calls these companies “pinkwashers.” BMW, for example, gives $1 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure each time you test-drive one of their cars, even though pollutants found in car exhaust are linked to breast cancer. Many cosmetics companies whose products contain chemicals linked to breast cancer also sell their items for the cause.
The movie Pink Ribbons Inc will certainly be afforded more attention. Given its reputation for product placement over women, anti-choice agendas over science, and higher-than-expected salaries and overhead, it seems that Lady Karma has seen to it that Komen will never again be what it was. What we need now is an alternative. As a survivor of a rare form of cervical/uterine cancer–leiomeiosarcoma–I would like to see a nonprofit foundation that truly supports research into all women’s cancers and does so while learning all the Komen Lessons.
This is another one of those instances where women should say never again. Right now, Planned Parenthood is my choice of causes. Don’t contribute to any organization corrupted by the foot soldiers in the war against women.
peej
Carissa
bostonboomer
ecocatwoman
mablue2
peggysue22
quixote
skydancingguestblogger
Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
Sky Dancing 
It would be consoling to know that this Komen backlash has finally aroused the women in this nation to pay attention to what is being done to their rights.
Perhaps it takes as an egregious an act as what this foundation has sought to provoke against Planned Parenthood to further engage women of all stripes to recognize that these religious fundies and their supporters are doing to harness them.
As we watch it take place across the nation, state by state, most women are unaware of how much of their rights have been eliminated by these fools who would rather risk the lives of other women in the name of religion.
Don’t want an abortion? Fine, don’t have one. But get out of the private lives of those whose decisions in the long run have no bearing or effect on how you choose to live yours.
Period.
It was a great thing to watch women get together and go after these clowns. You are the majority after all!
The outpouring of action from women and others who are concerned about women, is wonderful indeed. I hope this slap in the face wakes up those who have been silent when it comes to the war on women.
Lance Armstrong’s LiveStrong just gave a $100,000 matching grant to Planned Parenthood.
http://mediaroom.livestrong.org/easyir/customrel.do?easyirid=0E930790BB25ECB9&version=live&prid=848058&releasejsp=custom_136
They have gotten 3 million in the past couple days, it is wonderful…
Excellent post, Dak. I had read about Komen’s dismissal of environmental causes of breast cancer yesterday, but I had no idea they had actually opposed a bill to help uninsured women! Good grief! They’ve been completely co-opted. I think it’s beyond repair at this point.
As someone said yesterday, It’s probably a good thing this PP thing happened so people would find out what kind of organization this really is.
24 hours later and we are now well educated about the corruption behind that pretty pink mask.
I never liked the pink stuff — and never bought any of the pink stuff. Now we learn that Komen has been working AGAINST women’s health.
Personally, pepto-bismol pink is my least-favorite color, and I disliked the goo-goo-ness of the Komen pitch, so in my crotchety way I never contributed. But even I’m shocked to find out they lobbied against help for uninsured women. The other stuff I pretty much knew about, but helping the uninsured is so Mom-and-apple-pie it made my jaw drop all over again.
Emptywheel doesn’t like pepto pink either.
Cancer victims called “customers” by Komen — so nice. NOT.
It’s also been determined that Ari Fleischer worked on the Komen announcement.
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2012/02/03/418797/exclusive-ari-fleischer-komen-planned-parenthood/
Heckuva job Ari!! Brownie!! Ari!!!
If Rove was turd blossom, what does this make Ari?
Does that make Ari the tiny pink gun?
To think that some donations probably went to Ari for his oh so wonderful advice.
I HATE PINK.
Well of course male chauvinist pigs (no disrespect to real pigs) would be involved.
There are going to be enough shoes dropping to shod a millipede.
Cancer victims are “customers” — well how damned nice for the corporations who are responsible for dumping toxins into the environment or adding toxins to consumer items including food. Unfracking believable.
I flipped when I saw that pink gun!!! The Pink Ribbons traler was an eye-opener also. I’ll be looking for that movie – looks like it opens today in Canada.
This whole mess makes me very sad but I’ve decided to support PP along with my pet (literally animal pet) charities now. I had forgotten how they supported me when I was young and didn’t have a lot of money. And I have a pink pie dish to remind me to send that donation!
Schneiderman Sues Three Big Banks, MERS for Deceptive Practices, Illegal Foreclosures
OT but it would appear that Eric Schneiderman may not be the terrible sellout he’s been labeled lately.
http://www.ag.ny.gov/media_center/2012/feb/feb03a_12.html
Secure new titles through massive writedowns?
Thanks, Ralph! I’m still keeping an open mind on this.
That’s really the reasonable thing to do at this point, I think.
I think this is a wait and see situation, ralph. Schneiderman got this under the wire before the Federal Settlement signing on Monday. This applies to the 13,000 cases in NY State that MERS was involved in. Whether it has broader implications or influences other AGs from other states, we don’t know. I read that there are 70 million mortgages across the country that are registered in the MERS database and millions more in subprime. The extent of this is mind-blowing huge. And for each of those deals, local fees were bypassed, something like $2 billion in recording fees alone.
But certainly, you would think that this would give steam to the other dissenting AGs like Biden in DE. We don’t know what’s in or out of the Federal deal yet and interestingly, I read over at NC that Schneiderman is being coy on whether he’s going to sign the Monday agreement. He has said absolutely ‘No” for months. Not sure what’s up–trying to fake out the banks. Or what? Or has the agreement itself been changed?
But it’s certainly good to see Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase and Wells Fargo cited in a real live lawsuit.
Bloody hell, it’s about time!
Beau Biden, Catherine Cortez Masto, Lisa Madigan and Martha Coakley have active lawsuits going already. I don’t how that squares with a big settlement.
Saw a link yesterday while searching for other articles on SGK/PP & noticed something about BPA & Komen. Here’s a recent article: http://littlegreenfootballs.com/page/268689_The_Koch_Brothers_-_Susan_G._K I believe that Quilted Northern is a Koch Bros product.
BPA became a hot topic about 2 years ago because it was found to leech into formula from BPa lined plastic baby bottles. It’s used in the liner of canned goods – tomato products have the highest content due to the acidity of tomatoes. It’s in water bottles (look for BPA free stickers). If you don’t know about BPA, I would recommend everyone do a Google search for more info. While the US Congress refused to ban it (wonder why?), it was banned in the UK – possibly only in baby bottles. I can’t remember, but there was definitely some sort of ban by the UK. Of course, Europe also bans GMO foods, which the US won’t do.
Here’s Forbes take on the issue after MoJo did a story about Komen & BPA: http://www.forbes.com/sites/trevorbutterworth/2011/10/05/mother-jones-smears-susan-g-komen-for-the-cure/
Komen VP is also homophobic.
Anyone know who’s on the Komen Board?
Oh, and I just pitched my pink to-go cup. Jeez.
Hi! How are things up there in Patty Murrayland? I keep meaning to get up there to visit. I read Scalia’s wife is on it somewhere but I should google it to make sure.
Hi! It’s good. I do like the West Coast for politics – the weather not so much, but it still beats the Midwest.
And then last night I reached for a black Sharpie, and it was pink. It’d make sense that Ginny Scalia would be on the board.
Since I’m off the crackberry and on the main computer, I googled the board: http://ww5.komen.org/AboutUs/BoardofDirectors.html
John D. Raffaelli is one of the ones that was the most outspoken about the change being positive and he appears to be a lobbyist but I noticed he’s been associated with Lloyd Bentsen of all people. No Scalia. But a lot of SMU debutantes from Dallas.
buzzflash buzzflash
Komen’s Small Board Includes GOP CEO, Her Son, a Top GOP Financial Fundraiser and Big Texas GOP Donor @truthout blog.buzzflash.com/node/13309 #komen
http://blog.buzzflash.com/node/13309