Pink Truth still doesn't get it - nor do they seem to care

Mary Kay has (again) joined the Today Show Annual Holiday Toy (gift) Drive - View

Pink Truth took offense and criticized their generosity - View

Several bloggers, myself included, expressed mild to extreme disgust at this senseless and ill informed berating of a corporation trying to help others. - My view - "ME"'s view - (and with a necessary caution regarding potentially offensive language) Duh's view

Pink Truth (although I don't expect them to read any of these for enlightenment) is still making the most ridiculous claims about why this is so "wrong"

Here is a summary of their complaints:

1. The value they use to promote their gift should be their cost, not retail value
2. This is an inappropriate gift because it is not a toy
3. They should not "announce" their charity as it takes away from the "point"

Massive amounts of credit are due to "ShayinSC" who posted this comment on their site:

First of all, even at 1/4 the retail of 2.6 mil, you are still talking $650,000 in products. Nothing to sneeze at, IMHO. I would wager it is about $649,999 more than anyone on here donated, too. (Correct me if I am wrong.)

My daughter is 9. She would love the bank and lip gloss. In fact, she has ASKED FOR lip gloss for Christmas (not that she is getting MK lip gloss, but that's another story).

As far as giving a piggy bank to needy children, it is a BANK, not a mutual fund. You put coins in it, not fortunes. Even needy kids have spare change sometimes.

Did MK donate discontinued products? So what? They didn't HAVE to donate squat. They could have trashed the stuff and taken a tax writeoff. They didn't. Instead, they donated it, and I am sure that if a girl gets lipgloss from MK, she won't KNOW or CARE if it is discontinued. She will just USE it.

Why rip MK apart for doing GOOD deeds? If you are so concerned about these kids, then think about them - are they really going to care about the politics of HOW or WHY they got a gift on Christmas? No. They will simply have something to unwrap and be happy to get.

JMHO Sorry I didn't jump on the bandwagon and rah rah with ya, but my pitchfork is in the shop.

If you really think what MK did was wrong, why not start a PT toy drive for the kids? Just a thought.

and then

As far as why MK did this (for the publicity) - ALL businesses do that. It's called civic marketing.

Even the Today Show is doing this with the toy drive. The toy drive itself is a marketing tool! (Hence, the name - "Today Show Toy Drive.") Does that mean that the Today Show has evil motives for this? Of course not! The are helping kids and getting publicity in return. If they did not want publicity from it, they would call it "The Anonymous Toy Drive" and not publicize the gifts they get/give.

She was banned from Pink Truth for this.

Also, unbeelievable said:

I just wanted to post something I found on another website that is important for everyone who is concerned about the age appropriateness of the lip glosses to read. The blurb is about Quixtar, but it's for the same Toy Drive:

"As part of its One by One Campaign for Children, Quixtar Inc. is donating more than $522,000 in product to NBC's Today Show Toy Drive via a direct selling industry effort to provide holiday gifts for thousands of children nationwide. Quixtar's gift of NAO never accept ordinary™ cosmetics and accessories is aimed at teen girls, one of the groups often forgotten during holiday giving drives. Quixtar's donation is being shipped to non-profit organizations across the country for delivery to disadvantaged children and families, providing in many cases the only gifts some children and teens may receive this holiday season.”

Media Newswire – http://media-newswire.com/release_1058319.html

My heart breaks for those older girls. I bet that most people, when they pick an angel off the angel tree pick littler kids because they are simply more fun to buy for! It seems that on this website, they have also been forgotten. I always think of 7 or 8 year olds when I think of toy drives, but this drive gives to people up to 18. I remember how fun it was to get makeup when I was a teenager.

I think it's just important to have all the info -- you may still think it's a weak gesture, but at least those lip glosses *do* have a target market.

And if you haven't picked an angel from the angel tree yet, consider the older boys and girls so they don't get left out! I know I'll be looking for a teen girl!

Her status there is currently unknown (to me).

Even after these points were made, these thoughts were posted.




Not that it will be heeded, but because I promised to devote energy to this, I will say again, "your complaints are invalid". You should all hang your heads in shame.

1. When an organization chooses to thank its sponsors, it does so by its own criteria. If the Today Show wants to express the value of donated gifts by retail value, that is their prerogative.
2. These are not only appropriate gifts, they are much needed gifts.
3. If Mary Kay should not announce their charitable donation, neither should these organizations:

Kohl's Department Store (www.kohls.com), Mary Kay (www.marykay.com), PartyLite Gifts (www.partylite.com), DK Publishing (www.dk.com), Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc (www.britannica.com), Jakks Pacific, Inc. (www.jakkspacific.com), Quixtar (Alticor) (www.quixtar.com), Microsoft (www.microsoft.com), Build-A-Bear (www.buildabear.com), Latasia (www.latasia.com), K'nex (www.knex.com), Cheerios (www.cheerios.com), Manhattan Toy (www.manhattantoy.com), Cookie Lee (www.cookielee.com), Rounder Records (www.rounder.com), Charmin (www.charmin.com), Udderly Smooth (www.udderlysmooth.com), Stride Rite (www.striderite.com), Imagination (www.imaginationgames.com), Hooked on Phonics (www.hooked-on-phonics.com), Direct Selling Association (www.dsa.com), Ty, Inc. (www.ty.com), Ugly Dolls/Pretty Ugly, LLC (www.uglydolls.com), Jockey Person to Person (www.jockeypersontoperson.com), Little Brown Books for Young Readers (www.lb-kids.com), Kid Galaxy, Inc. (www.kidgalaxy.com), Tupperware (www.tupperware.com), World Book (www.worldbook.com), Pampers (www.pampers.com), Mattel (www.mattel.com), Home Interiors & Gifts (www.homeinteriors.com), Aeropostale (www.aeropostale.com), Goody (www.goody.com), Avon (www.avon.com), Sanrio (www.sanrio.com), Traveling Bear (www.travelingbear.com), 4Life (www.4life.com), Hasbro (www.hasbro.com), JCPenney (www.jcpenney.com), Amazon.com (www.amazon.com), Sara Lee Inc. (www.saralee.com), Swiss Colony Occasions (www.swisscolonyoccasions.com), The Learning Journey (www.thelearningjourney.com), Fisher-Price (www.fisher-price.com), Tonner Doll Company (www.tonnerdoll.com), Zales (www.zales.com), Essential Bodywear (www.essentialbodywear.com), Lia Sophia (www.liasophia.com), Crest Whitestrips (www.whitestrips.com), Freddie Mac (www.freddiemac.com), Kay Jewelers (www.kay.com), Shaklee (www.shaklee.com), New Line Cinema (www.newline.com), The Southwestern Company (www.southwestern.com), LEGO Systems (www.lego.com), Pepsi Cola Company (www.pepsi.com), TFA In-Home (www.franceluxe.com), The Adventures of Thumbs up Johnnie (www.thumbsupjohnnie.com), Lavinia's World (www.laviniasworld.com), American Express (www.americanexpress.com), Buffalo Games (www.buffalogames.com), MasterCard (www.mastercard.com), Thirty One Gifts (www.thirtyonegifts.com), The United States Playing Card Company (www.usplayingcard.com), Razor & Tie Entertainment (www.myspace.com/alvinandthechipmunkssoundtrack), Signature Homestyles (www.signaturehomestyles.com), The Pampered Chef (www.pamperedchef.com), Arbonne (www.arbonne.com), Freelife International (www.freelife.com), High IntenCity (www.highintencity.com), Nature's Sunshine (www.naturessunshine.com), Cutco/Vector (www.cutco.com), United Media (www.unitedmedia.com), LEGOLAND California and Jumeirah Essex House (www.legoland.com and www.jumeirahessexhouse.com), Nuskin (www.nuskin.com), Stampin' Up (www.stampinup.com), Earth's Elements (www.earthselements.biz), Prestige Toy (www.prestigetoy.com), Tastefully Simple (www.tastefullysimple.com), Tahitian Noni (www.tni.com), AFLAC (www.aflac.com), Big Apple Circus (www.bigapplecircus.org), Tanner Companies (www.doncaster.com), Xango (www.xango.com), Oxyfresh (www.oxyfresh.com), TJ Maxx (www.tjmaxx.com), Longaberger (www.longaberger.com), Demarle at Home (www.demarleathome.com), Aqua-Leisure Industries (www.aqualeisure.com), Leapfrog (www.leapfrog.com), Southern Living at Home (www.southernlivingathome.com), AuraStella (www.aurastella.com), Brash Entertainment (www.brashent.com), TARRAH Cosmetics (www.tarrah.com), Lunch Table Inc. (www.proclaimgame.com), Vantel Pearls In The Oyster (www.vantelpearls.com), Detech (www.detech.com), McGraw-Hill Companies (www.mcgraw-hill.com), Butterfly Boutique (www.butterflyboutique.com), Reader's Digest (www.readersdigest.com), All Dazzle (www.alldazzle.com), Baby Crazy (www.babycrazy.com), L'Bel (www.lbel.com), Gems to Jewels (www.gemstojewels.com), Luxe Jewels (www.luxejewels.com), The Happy Gardener (www.thehappygardener.info), Advocare (www.advocare.com), Cedar Valley Publishing (www.cedarvalleypublishing.com), Susan Ross, Michele Baratta atHome (www.shopmichele.com), NSA, Udesign (www.udesignjewelry.com), Briarpatch (www.briarpatch.com), Dechaut Sheer Minerals Makeup (www.healthymineralmakeup.com), Cranium (www.cranium.com), Baby Splendor (www.babysplendor.com), Coin USA, Back Creek Rocking Horse (www.rockinghorseusa.com), Illumin (www.illumin.com)

Tracy, for the sake of those trying to enjoy this holiday, remove your bitter rantings, and the comments that follow. Please, acknowledge that you were wrong on this one, and allow the people receiving these gifts to enjoy them, the corporations involved the goodwill this sort of donation affords them, and the rest of us a chance to enjoy the fact that not all acts of charity are sanctimonious.

Thanks to everyone that is taking a part in trying to reach out this holiday season.