Decades into the rise of cause marketing, in which companies team up with charities for mutual benefit, the incident suggests consumers are getting more likely to call out promises they consider vague or unsatisfying.

“A baby boomer would be like, ‘Hey, if a company’s doing something, that’s great,’ ” said Joe Waters, founder of Selfish Giving, a consulting firm that works with nonprofits and businesses to create partnerships. “I think younger consumers are more savvy in that way, and that they expect it to be tangible and specific.”

Breast Cancer Awareness Month reliably brings a flood of charitable promotions every October. Lingerie brand Skims said it was donating 10% of the retail price for each bra sold on its website and in stores for a week this month to Susan G. Komen. Clothing brand Brochu Walker promised to donate 20% of net sales from a pink collection to the Breast Cancer Alliance. Direct-to-consumer swimwear company Salty Mermaid is giving 100% of proceeds from specific items this month to a fund benefiting a cancer hospital in Florida, while clean beauty brand Well People donates all net proceeds from sales of a lip oil in a certain shade year-round to a nonprofit providing makeup and skincare to people affected by cancer.

But consumers can become suspicious if they believe a brand isn’t being completely transparent.

Beverage brand Liquid Death came under the spotlight this month after right-wing streamer Tim Pool posted on X about a change to its language from 2022, when it replaced a pledge to give 10% of profits to fighting plastic pollution with a promise to donate an unspecified portion. (Pool recently announced a water brand of his own.)

Liquid Death said it has made millions of dollars of charitable contributions and that it plans to continue meeting its prior level of donations. The company also donates products for disaster relief.

Set Active founder Lindsey Carter initially seemed ready to ride out the criticism that followed the company’s 2% disclosure, which came in response to questions in the comments on an Instagram post about “Set for a Cure.”

“Running a business costs money,” Carter wrote on Instagram. “Like, a lot of money…If you’re upset about the percentage, I get it. But we’re doing what we can while still being a functioning business.” 

Set Active soon boosted its planned donation to 20% of gross sales, however, raised its maximum gift to $95,000 from $10,000 and added more recipients. 

Komen appreciates all donations, a spokeswoman said.

“Every contribution to Komen makes a meaningful difference in supporting patients, funding research and driving progress toward ending this disease,” she said.

Set Active said the customer feedback helped the company recognize it could do better. “At the end of the day, our responsibility is to make sure our efforts create meaningful impact—and thankfully we were able to realign quickly to do that,” it said in a statement.

But its response was too late for some consumers.

“Changing your donation from $10,000 to $95,000 after all the backlash shows how much you could’ve donated to begin with but literally just wanted to profit off of it,” one Instagram commenter responded. 

“If the point is your profit margin, then don’t even play in the cancer space,” said Alanna Vizzoni, who criticized Set Active to her 45,000 followers in a video on TikTok. Vizzoni is a former brand strategist and breast cancer survivor who has also modeled mastectomy bras for Victoria’s Secret. 

“It’s taking advantage of this super-serious situation, as if it’s like a marketing tentpole event like Christmas or Valentine’s Day,” Vizzoni added in an interview.

The pervasive promotions during Breast Cancer Awareness Month can re-traumatize survivors when they’re not well thought-out, according to Vizzoni. “Everywhere you see pink, breast cancer this and that,” she said. “It just makes you feel exploited a little bit.”

Brands that want to help should do something educational, for example, by teaching consumers how to do a self-exam or recognize early warning signs, said Vizzoni, who said she wouldn’t work with a company donating less than 50% of proceeds for its charitable initiative.

Donations triggered by purchases have proven tricky for businesses before, said Waters, the consultant. “Historically, it’s been kind of a minefield,” he said. 

Companies making donations tied to sales should provide specific numbers, let charities do the talking whenever possible and help consumers see what the programs could accomplish overall, Waters said. “You have to contextualize…‘This is how many mammograms that translates into,’ ” he said.

Brands should also investigate what their customers want to see and double-check their plans with the communities they’re trying to help, said Carol Cone, a consultant who runs a purpose marketing agency. “Ask your employees or ask your customers what is important to them, what will resonate with them,” Cone said.

Businesses are best off if they make clear exactly where the money is going and the power of the donation even if it’s a small amount per purchase, said Maria Perez, a cause marketing consultant.

“Business sustainability is a thing,” Perez said. “You can’t go in the red to help.”