Every October, websites around the world change their templates to pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The campaign is called Pink for October, and its origin is more accidental than most people assume.
Where it came from
The initiative began in August 2006 and is credited to Matthew Oliphant.
The starting point was trivial. Oliphant had used pink on a joke site he ran, a colleague criticized the choice, and while looking at other sites to defend it he discovered that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
He then posted the suggestion on his blog and on other forums:
So much pink around… maybe we should pinkify our sites for Breast Cancer Awareness Month which is October… Could publicise it, get more traffic, accolades, etc. Plus raise awareness of Breast Cancer research, raise money… It could be a fun group activity that also helps a good cause. Would that be of interest to anyone?
Why it worked
The proposal was unusually well matched to its medium, which is why it spread.
- The cost was almost nothing. Changing a stylesheet takes minutes, so participation required no budget and no approval.
- The signal was instantly legible. A pink site in October needs no explanation, which meant the campaign carried its own message.
- It was collective rather than individual. The effect came from many sites doing it at once, which gave participants a reason to tell others.
What the campaign is for
The purpose is to generate knowledge and awareness of breast cancer, emphasize the importance of a healthy life, and support research and fundraising.
Awareness campaigns are sometimes dismissed as gestures, and the fair response is that awareness has a specific job here. Breast cancer outcomes depend heavily on early detection, and early detection depends on people knowing what to check for and acting when they find something. A visible annual reminder is a reasonable mechanism for that.
Frequently asked questions
When is Breast Cancer Awareness Month?
October.
Who started Pink for October?
Matthew Oliphant, who proposed it in August 2006 after discovering the awareness month while defending an unrelated use of pink on his own site.
How do sites take part?
By changing their template colors to pink for the month and linking to breast cancer awareness and research resources.
This report dates from 2009. See also bras and your health.
