About For a Cause Wristbands
You see them everywhere, from national television stars to the teenagers in your neighborhood. Colorful silicone bracelets designed for a cause have become a large part of our accessory landscape. Some support serious causes, such as the yellow Livestrong bands from Lance Armstrong's cancer awareness campaign. Some are parodies, such as Stephen Colbert's Wriststrong samples in red. These wristbands are such a common part of our lives that it's hard to believe that they've only been around since 2004.
Other People Are Reading
-
History
-
The first awareness band was the bright yellow Livestrong band made by the Lance Armstrong Foundation in 2004. It was designed to promote awareness of programs for cancer survivors. The bracelet turned into a national phenomenon after being featured on Oprah's television show in 2005.
Money
-
Awareness of a cause wristbands exist for many reasons, and money is an important one. Most wristbands are sold for a nominal fee of $1, with the proceeds going to the charity that promotes the wristband sales. Resellers have gotten into the act, selling colored wristbands online and in many neighborhood stores. Wristbands sold for more than $1 or sold on sites like eBay are often not associated with the charity, and proceeds may not go to the cause.
-
Awareness
-
Wristbands are meant to be a reminder of the cause, whether we are wearing them or seeing them on other people. Causes and diseases are often forgotten by many people in their day-to-day lives. Seeing a wristband many times a day can help to reinforce a person's inclination toward charity and helping a cause.
Colors
-
Some colored wristbands have become so common that the actual color has become synonymous with the cause. Yellow is often automatically connected with cancer survivor programs and red with HIV and AIDS research. Other popular colors for cause wristbands are pink for breast cancer awareness, olive green for supporting U.S. troops and red for heart disease.
Belonging
-
Like many trends, awareness bracelets may give wearers a sense of belonging. You have donated money to a cause and support the research, and you now wear the wristband to prove it. You have something in common with the thousands or millions of others who wear the same wristband. Wristbands provide a small but tangible sense of community, and a tiny reminder that you did a good thing.
-
References
- Photo Credit green silicone wristband image by Georgiy Pashin from Fotolia.com
