sarah
10-28-2005, 12:52 AM
Dear Board Members,
What a golden opportunity!!! If I may be so bold as to suggest something that you probably have already thought about and already decided for or against, I suggest contacting Victoria Secret’s advertising agency (or agencies since they probably have more than one) and making an ally of them. After all VS has spent tens of millions of dollars on this campaign and (the ad agency got several million doing it) and the ad agency and VS I’m sure are mortified by this blunder. So I suggest the most charming, smooth talking board member approaches the ad agency and explains the blunder and says “I know how to help you (the ad agency) and make VS look great!” maybe not those exact words but something like that.
Anyway, all corporations are obsessed with image and here’s how you can help and VS and their ad agency can make money while doing good – now that’s irresistible! They also will have a publicity company that can be approached but generally the ad agency knows how to get the big bucks!
Work to get funding for an HER2 foundation – think BIG! What ever amount of money you think of, triple it! VS probably has a department for charities already that is set up to give away “image enhancing” money (most corporations do) but I’m not sure they are the best first route to go. Your foundation would educate, help with financing, publicize, and do whatever good you can think of, etc. etc. (and I’m sure you could bring Genetech and Roche in to help once it’s up or about to get up and running). Dream big.
Whomever you approach, go to the top person. Also when you get to the top executive’s assistant, make her (or him) your ally. More than likely that person has been working with the VP or President for years and has an easy going relationship with that executive so they can help you get the meeting and help with the best approach.
It might be good to have the number of HER2 positive people around the world. If ¼ to 1/3 of breast cancer cases have HER2, that’s a lot of people. Genetech might have a number – in fact they probably have a good tip sheet since they want to sell their drug to as many people as possible. And cancer is no longer the disease in the closet thanks to pink ribbons and revlon/komen, etc.
Back to VS, I’m once again at a disadvantage living in a small village in the south of France so haven’t seen the ad. Perhaps someone could scan it and put it on the site for those of us living in the boonies!
Remember, just because we have HER2 doesn’t mean we’re not sexy! I know some people on the site are really offended and I respect their feelings but I say “go for the money” for all of us. You can do a lot of good with their money. They should be able to give a nice size amount to start the foundation – say a couple of million or more, and a small % of the perfume sales. The ad agency will make a % so will be motivated to ask for a lot of money and the corporation is used to giving the agency lots of money so it should be easy. When I say “easy” I mean relatively speaking, getting money is never simple but this is a set-up!
So go get the money!
Good luck.
Sarah
What a golden opportunity!!! If I may be so bold as to suggest something that you probably have already thought about and already decided for or against, I suggest contacting Victoria Secret’s advertising agency (or agencies since they probably have more than one) and making an ally of them. After all VS has spent tens of millions of dollars on this campaign and (the ad agency got several million doing it) and the ad agency and VS I’m sure are mortified by this blunder. So I suggest the most charming, smooth talking board member approaches the ad agency and explains the blunder and says “I know how to help you (the ad agency) and make VS look great!” maybe not those exact words but something like that.
Anyway, all corporations are obsessed with image and here’s how you can help and VS and their ad agency can make money while doing good – now that’s irresistible! They also will have a publicity company that can be approached but generally the ad agency knows how to get the big bucks!
Work to get funding for an HER2 foundation – think BIG! What ever amount of money you think of, triple it! VS probably has a department for charities already that is set up to give away “image enhancing” money (most corporations do) but I’m not sure they are the best first route to go. Your foundation would educate, help with financing, publicize, and do whatever good you can think of, etc. etc. (and I’m sure you could bring Genetech and Roche in to help once it’s up or about to get up and running). Dream big.
Whomever you approach, go to the top person. Also when you get to the top executive’s assistant, make her (or him) your ally. More than likely that person has been working with the VP or President for years and has an easy going relationship with that executive so they can help you get the meeting and help with the best approach.
It might be good to have the number of HER2 positive people around the world. If ¼ to 1/3 of breast cancer cases have HER2, that’s a lot of people. Genetech might have a number – in fact they probably have a good tip sheet since they want to sell their drug to as many people as possible. And cancer is no longer the disease in the closet thanks to pink ribbons and revlon/komen, etc.
Back to VS, I’m once again at a disadvantage living in a small village in the south of France so haven’t seen the ad. Perhaps someone could scan it and put it on the site for those of us living in the boonies!
Remember, just because we have HER2 doesn’t mean we’re not sexy! I know some people on the site are really offended and I respect their feelings but I say “go for the money” for all of us. You can do a lot of good with their money. They should be able to give a nice size amount to start the foundation – say a couple of million or more, and a small % of the perfume sales. The ad agency will make a % so will be motivated to ask for a lot of money and the corporation is used to giving the agency lots of money so it should be easy. When I say “easy” I mean relatively speaking, getting money is never simple but this is a set-up!
So go get the money!
Good luck.
Sarah