In case you haven't noticed, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. It is hard to miss. It seems no matter where I look, something has unexpectedly turned to pink. From the uniforms of the flight attendants on my Continental flight to Chicago, to the student section at Beaver Stadium, I am seeing the incredible power of a Visual Strategy that is based on a single color.

The Power of Visual Strategy

The color pink is now a powerful symbol for comfort, awareness and hope. It acts as a constant reminder to those who have fought, or are fighting breast cancer, that they are not alone. For those making decisions about funding and research, pink tells them that their work is important. But the Visual Strategy is not just about what the color represents, it is also about how the color is used to impact behavior.

Visual Strategy Inspires Action

The unexpected integration of pink that we have seen in the last few years is at once shocking and comforting. The best example of this is seen on Sundays in October when the NFL integrates pink into the team uniforms. In this context, the use of pink is highly unexpected and, at first, disorienting. It awakens us to the fact that this disease affects everyone – both men and women alike – it is real and people continue to die of breast cancer every year.

However, it is also uplifting. The juxtaposition of a symbol of femininity with a symbol masculinity clearly demonstrates solidarity behind the movement and that this is not just a women's issue. By generating this type of emotionally charged awareness, the color pink will inspire more individuals to act by donating money to support research to find a cure.

This year, "pink-washing" has come under a lot of scrutiny. CPG brands are being criticized for taking advantage of a commercial opportunity to sell more products. Others are questioning why breast cancer has been singled out when there are many other forms of cancer that require attention. Regardless of the argument, there is no doubt that the Breast Cancer Awareness movement has landed on a Visual Strategy that does an incredible job of meeting its objectives – creating awareness and inspiring action.

To make a donation to the American Cancer Society please go to http://www.cancer.org