When I saw that Connex were still doggedly coming out in support of cancer, all logic to the contrary, I thought I'd send them a message and ask why? At the very least I thought they'd appreciate getting an email that wasn't a thundering tirade over late and overcrowded trains on their rail network.
Hello. I was wondering if you could explain the reasoning behind the use of 'for' in 'Connex For Cancer Day'? If you take 'for' in its most common sense as meaning "in favour or in support of" then surely you can only read this as a statement in support of cancer?! Even if it's 'Cancer Day' you're in support of, it still sounds a little creepy. Yay for cancer!Anyway, to my great surprise, a week later I received the following thoughtful reply:
I understand the importance of avoiding negative language in a positioning statement, (as with the former Anti-Cancer Council repositioning themselves by lowering the 'anti'), but wouldn't 'Connex Against Cancer Day' make more sense? Or if you had to use a positive preposition, then 'Connex For A Cure Day'?
I'm not meaning to be negative myself as, whatever it might be called, it's an undeniably worthy initiative, but the choice of words did make me pause.
Many thanks for any response you'd care to make.
Regards,
/etc, etc
We refer to your inquiry of 13 July 2008, regarding the wording of our “Connex for Cancer Day” campaign.I understand that there's more to dealing with cancer than merely fighting it; it's also about supporting those who suffer under its terrible burden, so fair enough, Connex, you're right. I'm on board. And I'll txt all my friends right away to let them know!
The intention of the campaign slogan is to indicate our support for Cancer Day, a day we have initiated with the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre to raise funds to contribute to the search for a cure for cancers of all kinds.
There is a subtle distinction between “Connex for Cancer” and “Connex for Cancer Day”, but an important one.
This year’s “Connex for Cancer Day” campaign will be our fourth, and so far, with the help of our customers, we have raised more than $160,000 for the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, a premier Australian resource for cancer patients in the provision of integrated treatment, research and education.
While Cancer Day might be perceived to have negative connotations, we believe that having a day to highlight the disease and the people who have suffered from it, their families and those sufferers who have survived, is an empowering initiative. We’ve worked closely with the Peter Mac Communications and Marketing team to ensure we minimise any offence the community may feel.
The “Connex for Cancer Day” campaign name is not intended to offend, however we are aware that for some people cancer still carries a strong stigma, and talk about the disease can be upsetting for sufferers, survivors or those who know a sufferer or survivor or have lost someone to the disease. We believe the positive aims of our campaign outweigh any negative associations people might have with the wording, and the support of our customers on this day would certainly seem to reinforce that.
We appreciate your feedback, and thank you for the opportunity to clarify our intentions when creating the “Connex for Cancer Day” campaign.
Yours sincerely
Sarah Hart
Connex Melbourne
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Really.. Connex is not interested in fighting cancer; rather fighting the negative publicity of their overcrowded trains.. for which a $160,000 donation is a small part of their marketing budget.. and how much more could they donate if they also gave the money budgeted to the advertising of their donation?
ReplyDeleteAlso I don't like how they suggest you are helping by buying a ticket on the day.. would anyone not planning to take a train that day change their mind just so an extra dollar will add to the donation total? Show me the numbers.. I think not.
Actually Connex should be a supporter of Cancer.. the more people bed ridden with cancer the less people to travel and complain about their service..
By Buy Connex.
CK,
ReplyDeleteI don't think you're being entirely fair to Connex. This program, unfortunately named as it may be, does seem to me to be a sincere attempt by them to "do well by doing good".
Compare and contrast with the execrable "pink products" campaign that we must be about due to endure again soon.
And Connex can't donate money anonymously, as they have a fiduciary duty to the shareholders of their parent company to spend money only in ways consistent with producing a return on the investment - in one way or another.
The buying of tickets on a particular day seems as good a way as any to motivate people who buy their tickets weekly or monthly to buy that week's or month's ticket on that day.
Most people they are targeting would, I imagine, be traveling five days a week, and thus be unlikely to not be traveling on that particular day. Also, isn't Thursday pension day? If so, a lot of once-a-week travellers would travel that day. (If not, why do all the old people ride my trains and buses on Thursdays?)
Keep in mind also that tickets can be bought long in advance of their use, and you could buy several daily, weekly or monthly tickets on July 31 - even a whole year's worth if you have the means.
Of course, it's still cheap grace, but it's not as cheap as the grace bought when you buy a bottle of pink water or a pink strawberry KitKat that will in any event sit on the shelf until sold.
Good on Connex, I say, for raising awareness - a trite, overused phrase, but in this rare case the appropriate one - and supporting a local institution that does good work and that, unfortunately, most of us are bound to have some need of sooner or later.
Well put, JJ. I'm sure Connex wouldn't deny that by running this initiative they also benefit, but that doesn't mean they're obligated to do it. In fact, that they do benefit is arguably a good thing as, what's that Emerson saying, that it's a truism that no-one can truly help another without also helping themselves.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, that's enough praise for them or I'll have to change this blog to be Connex on the Path.
Here we go. The actual Emerson quote is "It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself."
ReplyDelete