Toward better regulation of breast cancer cause-related marketing campaigns

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CONTEXTMy PhD is the first UK socio-legal study of MNCs who engage in breast CRM campaigns. Focusing on the websites of four MNCs operating in the UK (Asda, Avon, Debenhams and M&S), it asked whether large-scale MNC CRM campaigns can influence the expected behaviour of women with breast cancer. The PhD situated findings from the websites with themes which emerged from an extensive review of material detailing the experiences of women with breast cancer (in relation to their perception of the corporate interest in and influence on breast cancer patients). The PhD used an original adaptation of the well-known frame analysis methodology (Goffman 1974/1986; 1976) to identify a typology of breast cancer patients preferred by MNCs: white, positive in outlook, heterosexual, and willing to take part in fundraising activities which can be infantile and/or hyper-feminine. The PhD argues that there is value in corporate-charity partnerships but the negative outcome of some campaigns is that there is a 'corporate takeover' of sorts. The cause becomes so valuable to the company that it becomes an asset and, like all assets, must be managed. The company manages a cause like breast cancer through marketing, and when marketing breast cancer it will aim for the most marketable 'type'. This breast cancer type is highly exclusionary to all women who do not conform to the corporate typology, eg, lesbian women, black women and women who do not hold themselves to be typically 'feminine' or comfortable engaging in activities such as fancy-dress or bake-sales. Another negative consequence is that breast cancer can be viewed as a less serious disease to contract, eg, it is seen as 'girly', and this can result in 'cancer envy', making those with other cancers feel envious of those with breast cancer. AIMS OF PROPOSED RESEARCHThe PhD is based on secondary data, and its analysis of the experiences of women with breast cancer is largely based on research done in North America (eg, King 2006, Sulik 2010). The PDF will allow me to undertake interviews with women throughout the UK, building insight into how they see the language and imagery used in large-scale MNC breast cancer CRM campaigns and how they understand the impact of these campaigns. The data from the interviews will be used to inform a Best Practice report on the governance of MNC CRM campaigns in the UK so that the interests of those who are the focus of these highly profitable campaigns are not forgotten and their social roles do not become defined by corporate interests. The interview data will also be used to write a chapter in the monograph based on my PhD research (due for completion April 2020). OBJECTIVES (a) To gather empirical data on the lived experience of women with breast cancer in the UK in relation to how they believe MNC CRM campaigns affect their expected behaviour (b) To develop the adaptation of my PhD research methodology (frame analysis) for use in analysing the interview findings (c) To use the interview findings to inform a Best Practice report which will consider better governance of MNC CRM campaigns in the UK. The report will consider revisions of both hard-law (Charity Act 1992) and soft-law (Fundraising Regulator), and my working assumption is that it will propose a CRM ethical mark (d) To use the interview findings to write a chapter for a monograph based on my PhD research which will link the theoretical hinterland of the PhD, the findings from the analysis of the MNC CRM campaign websites and the empirical data gathered from the interviews(e) To disseminate the findings of the research project at an international conference which I will host at QUB