Any one of those companies can put the pink on dozens of products. General Mills, for instance, which contributes $2.5 million annually to Komen, sells specially designed packages of Cheerios and Fiber One cereals and Progresso chicken noodle soup, for starters.
The breast cancer movement has almost singlehandedly turned the most feminine of colors, a soft, sweet hue associated with daintiness, into a symbol of power, says Caley Cantrell, a professor of communications strategy at the Virginia Commonwealth University Brandcenter.
Moreover, she thinks the breast cancer movement has been one of the most successful of all time at embracing the do-good-by-buying concept.
"There is a desire for most people to do a good thing and to support causes, but sometimes it is hard to find the time to do that in sort of a sweat-equity way," Cantrell says. "Here, I'm buying a product I need or I want and I'm also helping this cause."
The clothing company White House Black Market created its first pink product in 2004 - a necklace. It donated 100 percent of the proceeds, more than $550,000 over the years, to a charity called Living Beyond Breast Cancer.
The necklace was so popular, the company expanded the program, and this year is offering four pink items, including $88 black jeans with pink rhinestones and a $58 watch with a pink leather strap.
"At the end of the day, we're a women's company," says Jessica Wells, the public relations director. "So many of our customers and our associates have been personally affected by the disease, and we couldn't think of a better cause to support."
Breast cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in women after lung cancer, with more than 190,000 invasive cases detected thus far in 2009. And because so many women have been affected by the disease - and countless others know someone who has - companies have also found breast cancer awareness promotions to be smart business.
Susan White, the founder of women's clothing company White + Warren, says when her company releases a new pink cashmere item each year, donating half the proceeds to an organization called Women at Risk, the company isn't making money, but it's building its brand and reinforcing customer loyalty.
"It comes back to us who knows how?" White says. "It's making people take notice, and that's the whole point."
White says since she debuted a pink breast cancer hoodie 11 years ago, it's gotten to the point where her customers anticipate the release of the seasonal merchandise.
