Take the Fright Out of Breast Cancer™

I'm actually pretty disgusted by this campaign by BCO, as well as very disappointed in the organiztion because of this.

Halloween is a fun holiday - no stress, no obligations beyond having enough candy to hand out, a time to let imaginations run wild. To try to "turn Halloween into a holiday with a purpose" is wrong. Why should kids have illness thrust in their faces all the time? For that matter, why should adults?

As for "taking the fear out of mammograms" as well as other aspects of the disease, I don't see this as effective at all. It may even promote fear, as all the quotes are from people diagnosed with cancer. Having a mammogram does NOT necessarily take courage - it's common sense to do so. I think BCO is actively fear-mongering and I'm extremely disappointed in BCO.

Halloween is supposed to be a fun time for kids. I do not agree with this campaign at all - sorry. Maybe it would be better to look into what frightens women about getting their mammos. Hint: it isn't the prospect of having their breasts squished like pancakes. They are scared of hearing the C word. They are scared of chemo, radiation and surgery. They are scared of having to confront their mortality.And that is not limited to just BC but to all cancers including ones where screening and early detection saves lives. They would simply rather not know and go about their lives until it can't be ignored. Yes it reduces their chance of beating it but that's their prerogative. Leave Halloween alone and put the efforts toward finding a better course of treatment or a cure that takes fear of hearing the C word out of the equation for them

This seems off base to me too. I was actually wondering if it was a strange joke. You know what? Breast cancer is scary.

I agree with the previous comments. Cancer is scary, you can't talk women out of the fear of cancer. I dread Pinktober every year. I don't like seeing our illness exploited for cash by corporations. We need better treatment options not more awareness. Stage four cancer patients need more treatments and research.

I agree with hopeful82014 this is so ridiculous!!!!

Agree with all those commenting.

The website is up, and the campaign is underway. I agree with dlb823, it sounds like a campaign dreamed up by marketing "experts". Not every new product succeeds though, and I guess BCO will know after Halloween if the public takes to this idea.

I hope it is a major flop. To some people, it is called Samhain and is a religious feast.

The title of this thread grates like nails on a chalkboard, and the content is no better. Breast cancer IS frightening. I can't even imagine having suggested this in a community where there is a group of women who are stage IV. It's insulting. I have to say, I'm a physician, and my personal diagnosis - that "knowledge" - did NOTHING to allay my fears, it only fueled them. What exactly is it that you want people to know? That we have a poor screening test that - unfortunately, like a lot of screening tests - is best at picking up slothful cancers? That this disease can descend upon you and wreck your life with no forewarning and no "risk factors"? That for estrogen-receptor positive cancers the mortality curve never, ever levels off?

Take a room full of 100 people, tell them a gunman is going to come into the room, but only shoot 3 or 4 of them. Is that reassuring?

And that's not even thinking about the damage done by the treatments. Is lymphedema so minor that it's not worth worrying about? How about frozen shoulder, or maybe heart failure? I'm so glad chemo was so easy, and t's a good thing radiation burns don't hurt, or maybe people would be scared of them too. Can you tell I'm sarcastic?

And I totally agree with the hijacking Halloween part. It's not your holiday; leave it alone.

Halloween and bc? Huh? Let's leave Halloween as a fun holiday for kids and adults as well. As for taking the fright out of bc? Well, you don't want to be so frightened that fear paralyzes you, but bc instills a good dose of fear in most of us, me included. Six years out from a stage IV dx, and doing quite well, but my future with bc remains a frightening prospect.

Agree Spookiest Mom, people start to laugh at us and get sick of hearing about it. Take the fluff out of breast cancer marketing and just focus on the cure and figuring out how we don't turn out like fat slobs because of the freaking medication they give us for treatment! It is enough to send one into the deepest depression

I just have to add that this campaign is also incredibly disrespectful. Breast cancer is so frightening. Take the fright out of BC is A load of BS. Going trough treatment, ending treatment, living the rest of your life in treatment until BC ends it - all of this is so effing scary.

Mods, some thoughts and ideas so far:

Pretty disgusted.

Please let us not try to hijack Halloween.

I was actually wondering if it was a strange joke.

This is so ridiculous!

Here we go again trying to turn cancer into some fun and games spectacle.

Dumbest idea ever!

Totally out of touch idea that sounds like it came from an ad agency.

I hope it is a major flop.

It's not your holiday; leave it alone.

This campaign is also incredibly disrespectful.

I have read through all the responses and one thing is clear...an emotional chord has been seriously twanged.

I agree with LilacBlue and others that there are two audiences...there are we, the patients. The people that walk this path (and guess what - 15 months in and I'm STILL FRIGHTENED), and then there is the corporate audience which BCO must court in order to raise funds.

1. Re: the corporate audience. I understand completely the effectiveness and importance of a tight and catchy marketing campaign. I come from the field of marketing and think this way all the time. However, equally important is to design a campaign that is not only catchy and tight, but one that is also insightful, sensitive and progressive in its approach. Is it possible to accomplish both gains? YES. And unfortunately, BCO, although I believe you are very well intentioned, you have only fulfilled one aspect of a good marketing campaign. This is catchy, but it's completely insensitive to the realities of a cancer diagnosis. It - in essence - diminishes the fright by suggesting it CAN be diminished. It also belittles what everyone goes through during a long road of treatment and speculation and fear for the future.

I believe you have found yourself a gimmick and can now pay your 'hired on contract' marketing person for the cuteness of it all. But it's a miss. Royally. Please challenge yourselves to find a striking marketing hook while advancing the whole arena of education and awareness building for the purpose of research and cure.

Everyday, companies acknowledge public backlash and withdraw campaigns with an apology. No one underestimates your need to raise corporate support; we appreciate it. But please hire a marketing person who understands. You are doing your own reputation a complete disservice every moment this campaign stays active. Do not undo the good you are doing.

2. Re: us. We are so insulted because of the emotional and physical investments we have made and continue to make each and every day. To see the scary Hallowe'en font and idea of 'removing fright' is basically an abomination which strikes us at the core. But let's forgive BCO for the slip up...they do good stuff. But BCO, you need to take this down to remove the hurt. It doesn't matter if this intended to raise funds. Corporations will respond to other approaches/branding.

I am not concerned about any effect this campaign could have on children. They don't know this is out there. But yes, I agree. Hallowe'en is a holiday. So is Christmas. Let's leave them alone and not trivialize the breast cancer experience.

Take the Fright Out Of? Sorry, I really am shaking my head.

You've announced it on the site and received 100% backlash and scorn. But that's contained within the digital walls of BCO. Imagine what's going to happen when you really start to publicize this and you see BCO dragged all over Twitter, Facebook etc.