(Thumbnail image: Buckets for the Cure)
"For every pink bucket of grilled or original recipe, KFC makes a 50 cent contribution to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Together we can make the largest donation in Komen history, to help end breast cancer forever." (KFC)
One of America's largest chicken chains is going pink. KFC is trying to raise $8.4 million for the Susan G. Koman for the Cure Foundation with pink buckets of chicken. But there's disagreement over the message this sends. CBS-affiliate KFSM says the buckets honor those who have fought breast cancer.
"These pink buckets show 376 names to honor both survivors and those who have lost their lives trying to fight it." (KFC)
The partnership between a fast food chain and the cancer research foundation is hitting a nerve with many bloggers. Weighty Matters says the foundation doesn't know what it's doing anymore.
"In effect Susan G. Komen for the Cure is helping to sell deep fried fast food and in so doing, helping to fuel unhealthy diets and obesity across America, an odd plan given that diet and obesity certainly impact... both the incidence and recurrence of breast cancer."
A blog on the San Francisco Chronicle agrees there are mixed messages but says the irony is not exclusive to KFC.
"This odd melding of 'junk food' suppliers and groups that promote healthy living and research is hardly unusual. McDonald's has long been a sponsor of the Olympics, Pepsi is financing an obesity studies program at Yale, and a national program to promote healthy hearts and lungs was slammed earlier this year for partnering with Coke. It's all going to a good cause, right?"
Beyond the health issues — there's marketing. KTLA says there's an historic aspect to the bucket's make-over.
HOST: "This is something historic too, cause this is like the first time KFC's done anything to alter their buckets in how many years?"
GUEST: "That's right, in almost 70 years this year."
So what do you think? Is the campaign promoting unhealthy choices? Or is KFC just trying to do some good?
Writer: Erika Roberts
Producer: Newsy Staff
 |  |  |  |
