Mark Blevis

PincBox.org (a commercial venture, despite the .org facade) and Miss Blatt seem to have come undone in the last few hours. After two days 24 hours of criticism in blogs, on Twitter and in Facebook for marketing a high-priced ensemble of stationary and soap as a way (it would seem) to show their support for those who are going or have gone through breast cancer crises, they have put Pinc Box into remission and yanked seven comments critical of their insensitivity and business model.

Clearly they don’t know (or care) enough about the life changing experience breast cancer is for patients, their loved ones and friends. Rather, Pinc Box (that “charitable organization”) and Miss Blatt were looking to make a quick buck. A few minutes of online research would have helped them understand most breast cancer patients and their support systems vilify those who use pink for profit. Instead, Pinc Box asked breast cancer survivors and some who won’t know a life without cancer to help them push a $60 gift box. Of that, $5 apparently goes to an unspecified breast cancer research beneficiary. As Ann points out in her blog, they’re probably pocketing a cozy $47 in profit.

I’d like to write more about this whole episode. I feel I have a lot to say about this having lived through my wife’s process. Those in the know understand that when your loved one goes through a breast cancer crisis, we all go through it. That’s true of me, our daughters, my parents, our close friends and co-workers. The problem is if I open the tube of toothpaste, it’s all coming out. Besides, Ann and Andrea and their commenters said it better than I.

Frankly, I’m relieved the message reached the source of the problem and they were sufficiently humiliated to pull down the criticism and pretend it didn’t happen.

Breast cancer and the treatment process are not consumer products.
The experience is not for sale.

Here are five of the seven comments Miss Casey Blatt of Flank Marketing (careful, they have an autoplay video) doesn’t want you to see… (I didn’t capture the last two in time)

July 12, 2011 8:03 AM Ann said…

You spammed my blog, pretending you wanted to get the word out to cancer patients about self-exams. When I researched your blog, I realized you sre selling highly-inflated products that no cancer patients needs at profit to yourself. I speak for many in the blogging community when I saw trying to profit off the backs of suffering women. I am stage iv, which means I will die of cancer. I don’t need a $60.00 box of soap and a journal because you promise to give to cancer research. YOu intend to make money off the suffering of cancer patients and that is evil. I am got a huge community of bloggers and twitter uses blogging your scam.

Maybe next time, you might want to actually read a blog you come across. But, I’m doing my best to put you out of business.

July 12, 2011 9:02 AM Mark said…

Your Pinc Box product is an affront to people who have gone through breast cancer – the survivors and victims, their family and friends.You’d be better served encouraging people to donate the money to charities specializing in supporting patients and their families through the treatment and recovery process.

In the effort to make a difference for others, you’ve presented yourself as someone who is really just looking to make a fast buck on a widespread issue.

July 12, 2011 9:23 AM Patti said…

Your pinc box campaign is an insult to anyone dealing with breast cancer. It stinks of GREED and selfishness. Seriously, selling crap in pretense of helping a cause is beyond clueless and smacks of shear meanness. Be careful, karma may just bite you in the butt someday…or the breast, as the case may be. I’ll bet then the cute pinkness of it all would disappear in a hurry.

July 12, 2011 12:27 PM The Dirty Pink Underbelly said…

…and a bit of breast cancer on the side?

This is crap. Starting with the lame misspelling of ”pink” as “pinc” – which to my ears would produce a soft “c” sound, not a hard one – to the shameless marketing of a box of crap.

I find myself not as eloquent as my abovecommenting friends, but…

BOX OF CRAP

…seems to sum it up.

July 12, 2011 1:05 PM Mon said…

Hi Miss Blatt,
Does this pinc box include creams that are kind to radiation ravaged bodies, or lips that are peeling and dry, or products for nails that are chipped and cracked from chemotherapy treatment? What about natural organic shampoos and conditioners for those of us who are trying to grow their hair back without a product full of chemicals?

If you had perhaps shown some thought about your market and us women who are your target instead of appearing as someone trying to make a quick buck off true suffering that’s not cute and pink perhaps you would have had a better response from the breast cancer community?

Just a thought.