Shopping and a cause women care about are a powerful combination that creates major profits through a practice called “cause marketing.”

October marks the 20th annual breast cancer awareness month and companies who market to women are cashing in.

Breast cancer is the most marketed cause to American woman. This may be because, according to the American Cancer Society, in 2003 over 200,000 American women were diagnosed with the disease, surpassing any other cancer.

Cause marketing is the reason why everything turns pink in October. Breast Cancer Action, a grassroots group in San Francisco calls this practice “companies trying to reinforce their image and boost their bottom line by connecting themselves with a good cause.”

Consumers are bombarded with pink ribbon versions of our favorite products: pink ribbon pins, clothes, make-up, teddy bears and even shower gel.

It is unlikely, however, that people will pass up the product they’re accustomed to for the “cause product.” Sacramento State marketing professor Dr. Claudia Bridges says probably not.

“They hope it will,” Bridges said. “I think it’s silly personally, products that are homogenous and offer no significant advantage over other brands use this practice to accumulate an intangible value called good will.”

Cause related marketing is welcomed by the Komen Foundation and other big awareness groups. According to Jean Maza of the Komen Foundation, “Cause-related marketing efforts of our corporate partners resulted in more than $30 million in revenue last year.” When asked if the Komen Foundation ever turned a partnership down Maza said yes.

“We work very hard to evaluate potential partners to make sure there is a ‘fit’ between who they are, what they do and who we are and what our mission is” Maza said.

Some campaigns leave room to speculate who the benefactor actually is. Mervyns is donating a dollar to the American Cancer Society for each bra sold from Oct. 10 through 16. The small print in the full page ad reads that the bras must be from makers Vanity Fair, Champion, Bali, Playtex or Lily of France and Mervyns total donation from combined sales can not exceed $45,000. That’s a lot of small print for such a charitable cause.

Macy’s department store has a large selection of these pink products. Along with their own Breast Cancer Awareness Bear (retail $12, $6 goes to The Breast Cancer Foundation) they carry KitchenAid breast cancer products. KitchenAid donates $5 from each sale of their pink coffee mill ($150) and $50 of a pink stand mixer purchase ($300). The KitchedAid donations sound good compared Lenox’s (makers of fine ceramic goods) “gift of knowledge” pin and vase. Lenox donates 5 percent of the items retail prices of $43 and $20. When contacted for comment, a Macy’s spokesperson said Macy’s has no control over the donation amounts their retailers attach to their products.

Some of the campaigns make more sense than others. Boston Market has a win — win campaign that sells coupon books for one dollar, donates 100 percent of the proceeds to the Komen Foundation and gets coupons into hands of customers to ensure repeat business. Boston Market pledges a minimum donation of $100,000 and no maximum.

Ford Motors maintains their annual “Tied to the Cause” campaign. Every October Ford teams up with a designer to produce a limited edition silk scarf. According to the campaign advertisements, Ford plans to raise at least $2 million from sales of the $35 scarf (85 percent goes towards donation) for the Komen Foundation this year.

Payless Shoe Source raises money for the Komen Foundation with a brooch that has a high heeled shoe dangling from the pink ribbon. It is sold for $2 and Payless donates 100 percent of profits with a minimum guaranteed donation of $100,000.

The aforementioned Breast Cancer Action has launched its informational campaign “Think Before you Pink.”

Spokesperson for the group Rebecca Farmer said the campaign is about “following the money behind breast cancer and being savvier about how and to whom they give money.”

Breast Cancer Action suggests before you pull out your wallet find out how much money actually goes toward breast cancer programs and services, who receives the money and what types of programs are being supported.