Once again, TRBusiness.com will carry a pink theme – complete with emblematic pink ribbon – for the month of October, in support of Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Campaign (BCC), as it marks 30 years of tireless fundraising and global support, historically backed strongly by ELC’s travel retail division, which also turns 30 in 2022.

 

In 1992, Evelyn H. Lauder co-created the Pink Ribbon and launched The Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Campaign (The Campaign), inspiring a global movement around its mission to help create a breast cancer-free world for all.

 

Just one year later, in 1993, Evelyn Lauder founded the Breast Cancer Research Foundation(BCRF), The Campaign’s leading non-profit organisation partner dedicated to advancing the world’s most promising research to eradicate breast cancer.

 

Together, The Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Campaign and The Estée Lauder Companies Charitable Foundation have funded more than $108 million globally for lifesaving research, education and medical services, with more than $86 million funding medical research grants through BCRF.

William P. Lauder, Executive Chairman, Estée Lauder Companies (ELC), speaks to TRBusiness in this momentous year for ELC and the Breast Cancer Campaign.

 

ELC marks 30 years of the Breast Cancer Campaign this year. How proud are you of the campaign and everything that has been achieved in the last three decades?

I am immensely proud of all that the Breast Cancer Campaign and ELC’s passionate employees have achieved towards our mission to help create a breast cancer-free world for all since my mother, Evelyn, co-created the Pink Ribbon and started The Campaign in 1992.

 

The Campaign and our global community are making great strides – people are leading better, healthier and happier lives because of early detection. In the US, five-year survival rates are now more than 90% when breast cancer is found early, and breast cancer mortality rates have decreased by 42% among women since 1989.

 

Through the work of The Campaign, our partners around the world have been able to help address disparities in breast cancer research, advocate for equitable access to quality care, support the development and update of cancer research and care centres, fund medical research and fellowships, and so much more.

 

The Campaign has driven real progress and social impact for thirty years and we remain committed to advancing the work ahead.

 

What more specifically would you like to achieve?

Though significant progress has been made, the call to end breast cancer is more urgent today than ever as female breast cancer has become the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide. Globally, breast cancer causes the greatest number of cancer-related deaths among women. We will continue our mission and my mother’s vision to help end breast cancer as a life-threatening disease, for all.

 

How will ELC animate its BCC amongst travellers this year?

This year is unique in that ELC will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Breast Cancer Campaign and our travel retail division.

We are very proud of both of these extraordinary milestones in our company’s history and are very excited to do something special at this year’s Tax Free World Association (TFWA) event in Cannes, France.

We’ve taken over the billboards surrounding The Majestic Hotel and featured this year’s beautiful Campaign creative and images from previous years’ illuminations around the world to bring breast cancer awareness to this event, that is widely attended by our most important stakeholders in the industry, as well as travellers.

 

This year’s Breast Cancer campaign

The Campaign will take the following actions aligned to its mission for its 30th Anniversary:

Double-down on The Campaign’s efforts to reduce breast cancer disparities and improve health outcomes; mobilise ELC’s passionate employees to unite in action and support more than 60 organisations worldwide.

They will show support through 18 of ELC’s brands: Aerin, Aveda, Bobbi Brown, Bumble and Bumble, Clinique, Darphin, Dr. Jart+, Éditions de Parfum Frédéric Malle, Estée Lauder, Glamglow, Jo Malone London, Kilian Paris, La Mer, Lab Series, Origins, Smashbox, Tom Ford Beauty, and Too Faced.

Each will donate to BCRF and/or local cancer-focused organisations around the world, with brand participation varying by market.

ELC says it will convene breast cancer thought leaders and advocates to advance education and share important messages about the disease and Drive additional donations to BCRF through ELCompanies.com/BreastCancerCampaign and various points of engagement.

This year, ELC will accelerate communications on social media including TikTok and various Meta platforms to foster awareness, fundraising and engagement, including new calls-to-action, while unveiling a new series of global stories demonstrating the diversity of the disease.

Finally, the company said it will continue The Campaign’s tradition of illuminating buildings, monuments and landmarks around the world in glowing pink lights to raise awareness of breast health, including the Empire State Building, New York City; the Eiffel Tower, Paris.