“When someone we love has cancer, we are all affected — husbands, wives, mothers and fathers, sisters, brothers, and friends. This is our effort in the fight against cancer.” — Ralph Lauren
For 21 years Ralph Lauren’s Pink Pony Initiative, the Company’s global philanthropic program dedicated to cancer care, has been a leader in the fight against the disease. Established in 2000, Pink Pony’s mission is to reduce disparities in cancer care, lead the fight to find a cure and help to ensure that access to quality treatment is available to everyone at an earlier, more treatable stage.
The Company is deeply committed to raising awareness and funds for cancer care and prevention through annual global marketing initiatives, dedicated product collections with sales going to support the Pink Pony Fund, and worldwide employee volunteering programs and fundraising. As one of the first companies to utilize its logo in support of cause-based initiatives, the Polo Player has been used for decades as a global symbol to help raise millions of dollars for philanthropic causes and social impact programs.
A series of immersive consumer experiential activations have been designed to build communities by fostering conversations and authentic connections in support of the fight against cancer.
The Pink Pony Marketing Campaign
Kicking off with a multilayered 360 marketing campaign, a diverse cast of cancer survivors, thrivers and supporters from around the world will each share their personal stories to spark a dialogue about healing, hope and survivorship. This eclectic group features Black, queer, non-binary femme, sexuality educator Ericka Hart; Korean actress and singer Krystal Jung, and British author Deborah James.
Experiential Activations
In Europe, a live gaming event on Twitch in partnership with the G2 E-sports team will raise funds to be donated to the Pink Pony Fund of The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation or to an international network of cancer charities.
An exclusive Pink Pony themed Snapchat lens will be available throughout the month of October, allowing users to share their support and make donations to the cause. The lens is also discoverable through the special Pony Scan, a monthly edition of lenses exclusive to Snapchat.
Ralph’s Coffee locations around world will offer a special pink-pony themed Hibiscus Iced Tea with proceeds going to support the Pink Pony Fund of The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation. Finally, the exteriors of global retail stores in New York, Beverly Hills, Chicago, Beijing, Shanghai and Seoul will be lit pink throughout October.
The Pink Pony Collection
The 2021 Pink Pony apparel collection is comprised of an assortment of Polo icons, alongside eyewear and fragrance offerings. 100 percent of the purchase price from the sale of the Pink Pony Fleece Hoodie and 25 percent of the purchase price from the sale of all other items in the Pink Pony Collection will be donated to the Pink Pony Fund of The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation or to an international network of cancer charities. The Collection will be available globally in September in select global Ralph Lauren retail stores, on RalphLauren.com, at Macy’s and Bloomingdales and in select global wholesale stores.
Ralph Lauren Fragrances will offer a limited-edition fragrance, ROMANCE Pink Pony Edition. With each purchase of ROMANCE Pink Pony Edition, Ralph Lauren Fragrances will donate 100 percent of the profits to the Pink Pony Fund of The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation.
Ralph Lauren’s Commitment to Cancer Care
For over 30 years, Ralph Lauren has been committed to raising awareness in the fight against cancer. In 1989, after his close friend and Washington Post fashion editor Nina Hyde was diagnosed with breast cancer, Mr. Lauren made a commitment to focus his philanthropic efforts on improving care for this devastating disease by cofounding the Nina Hyde Center for Breast Cancer Research at the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. In 1994, he led the fashion industry in its support of breast cancer research by designing the first target logo for the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s Fashion Targets Breast Cancer initiative, which focuses on raising public awareness and funds for the breast cancer cause.
In 2003, the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care was established in partnership with the nation’s leading cancer center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, in New York City, to provide high-quality, compassionate cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment to all and to reduce health disparities and improve cancer outcomes. Since its founding, MSK Ralph Lauren Center (MSK RLC) has cared for thousands of patients making it a beacon for accessible, compassionate cancer care for residents of Harlem and beyond. MSK RLC provides high-quality care in a warm, welcoming, and culturally sensitive environment. MSK RLC provides cancer screenings, treatment services, surgical and radiation oncology referrals, and chemotherapy along with an array of supportive services—including navigation programs, financial counseling, and access to a medically tailored food pantry supplemented with nutritional counseling.
In 2014, Ralph Lauren Corporation partnered with The Royal Marsden, the largest and most comprehensive cancer center in Europe, to develop a world-class breast cancer research facility. HRH The Duke of Cambridge opened the Ralph Lauren Centre for Breast Cancer Research at The Royal Marsden in May 2016, alongside Mr. Ralph Lauren. In 2019, Ralph Lauren pledged £1 million to The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity to establish a Research Zone within a state-of-the-art facility opening in Sutton, U.K. The Oak Cancer Centre will bring together more than 400 researchers and 350 clinical staff and will see approximately 140,000 patient visits each year. The new center will speed up the translation of world-leading research into breakthroughs in treatment and care, transforming the lives of cancer patients at The Royal Marsden and around the world.
In 2020, the Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation continued to build on its decades-long commitment to cancer care through the Pink Pony Fund by supporting a long-standing network of international cancer institutions that are caring for people with cancer and who are especially vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic.