Introduction
Breast cancer is a serious health issue associated with a significant mortality rate of the affected population. It is noteworthy that women are often unaware of all of the major signs and features of this disease, as well as the various treatment opportunities available to them (Sulik, 2012). Therefore, a focus on breast cancer awareness as a part of a company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy can be beneficial.
Version 1
CSR campaigns aimed at raising breast cancer awareness often focus on females, who make up much of the affected population. However, at the same time, making males aware of the issue can also be helpful as they can encourage women to learn more about the disease and its treatment. Therefore, the campaign for employees as internal stakeholders will target all employees, regardless of gender, age, or ethnicity. This campaign may involve the use of posters and leaflets with relevant images and information. The information provided will be designed to address such areas as facts about the disease, statistics, personal stories, support options, available treatments, and so on. The campaign will also involve a number of discussions with breast cancer survivors. Finally, the campaign will include free screening for all female employees and the wives of employees.
Version 2
The second campaign will target the company’s customers. Amazeen (2012) notes that such campaigns can be beneficial for the company’s image and profitable as well. It is necessary to note that the corporation’s customers are mainly Emirati males between 30 and 50 years old. Therefore, it is advisable to focus on this population. The breast cancer awareness campaign may involve the development of new advertisements (e.g., videos and visuals) that focus on the health issue in question rather than the company’s products. Benetton Corporation started using this strategy in the 1980s, and it has proved to be effective (Sulik, 2012). The advertisement may address many similar topics, but the focus should be on the male’s role as one who cares, supports, and encourages the women in their lives to have check-ups, receive treatment, and so on. The visuals will primarily be used in online communication (e.g., on the company’s website, social networks, and so on). It is also possible to invite some celebrities to take part in the campaign. They can be featured in the advertisements or the visuals. The company’s official website should contain a section devoted to this health issue and the campaign. It can also be effective to note that all company employees have been given the opportunity to check their health or the health conditions of their loved ones.
Recommendations
It is necessary to note that Version 2 requires a larger investment. It may also need more time to be implemented as the development of the advertisement, and all visuals will take time. At the same time, this version is also associated with a larger impact. It will raise the breast cancer awareness of customers and their families as well as the entire country; moreover, the company may develop a favorable image while simultaneously promoting its products. However, the Version 1 campaign will be easier to implement and beneficial for the development of the company, as employee motivation levels might increase as a result. Therefore, it is recommended to start with the implementation of the Version 1 campaign. The campaign can be developed by the company’s employees, which would reduce costs. When recommending healthcare facilities, it is necessary to negotiate significant discounts or even free services as the facility will be publicized through the company’s official website and social networks.
References
Amazeen, M. (2012). Just window dressing? The gap (RED) campaign. In S. May (Ed.), Case studies in organizational communication: Ethical perspectives and practices (pp. 73-85). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
Sulik, G. A. (2012). Pink ribbon blues. New York, NY: OUP USA.