to have had enough of the Macmillan Cancer adverts

[rshipstuff]

I listen to Magic FM quite a lot. (this might be unreasonable in itself...)

They play sort of modern easy listening I suppose.

Anyway I'm there cooking the dinner or washing the dishes and they have got their 'Stress Busters' music on, and every bloody ad break they have this Macmillan cancer ad on with people saying how Macmillan helped them when they were dying of cancer and how 'cancer is a tough journey' etc.

The first time I heard it was ok but it's every adbreak and it really spoils the effect of 'Mellow Magic' and 'Stress Busting' when its pereptually bookended by adverts for dying of cancer.

I think any advertising campaign or marketing approach that makes people change channels is counterproductive.

It's a shame that sometimes charities (especially the bigger ones) just seem to be incapable of listening. Last year I was phoned by a lady from Water Aid, and I politely explained to her that I wasn't going to give them any money because I was fundraising (running a marathon) for a small local charity (Child Bereavement) that meant a lot to me because my own son had died. She assured me that she was not going to ask for money but for my support in other ways. Fine, I said.

So ... what I actually got was a very distressing lecture about child death followed up by repeated requests to set up a direct debit for "just" £20. I repeated again that I would help in other ways, only to be told again that I could show I cared about child death by donating money to WA.

A completely counterproductive telephone call, which cost the charity money and which upset a possible future donor.

I still donate to other charities - in fact I sponsored someone just this morning for a run - but when I do it's on an individual basis, not because of a marketing campaign.

Hijack: how are you doyou? We don't see you on the running thread so much, has RL caught up?

Being bombarded can do damage - I say this with the greatest will in the world when everyone in my office was doing the run for life etc and they all wanted sponsorship, I am afraid I got charity fatigue as they all gave me evils when I only sponsored them a quid, £100 to the charity spread evenly, they all thought I should give them a fiver. Makes me very sad that it can happen but I do think not only are the ads heartwrenching but they are also far too frequent and I think that money could be best spent elsewhere tbh.
So in short YANBU.

Yes, they are far to close to the bone, my kids check now when the advert has been on to see if I am crying again.

I'll tell you which one I hate more. Its not even raising money its just selling stuff.

That bloody sodding kleenex wanky bastard one with all the mums and daughters.

I hate it.

I have a child with cancer and I hate the cancer adverts. But I also have to remember that without the money raised and the help they have given us, I would be in a very tough place.

We can't turn our back on what is unsavoury, nor should we have it pushed onto us in the middle of 'golden hour' or whatever on the radio.

When is the best time to hear a Cancer Charity Ad? In the morning? After Corrie? In the dead of night when some of us are up with the one's that are puking and losing their hair? Or the one's on steroids that need food at 1am, 3am, 5am? So I might be listening to the radio then.

No time is a good time for a cancer advert. No time is a good time to have cancer.

Whistle a tune over said advert or just turn the radio off.

Also sick of cancer adverts being forced down my throat! And down my young childrens throat! Needs to stop.