The Estee Lauder Companies Elevates The Breast Cancer Movement And Kicks Off The 2013 Breast Cancer Awareness (BCA) Campaign With A Universal Call-To-Action: "Let's Defeat Breast Cancer. We're Stronger Together."

NEW YORK, Oct. 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Estee Lauder Companies' Breast Cancer Awareness (BCA) Campaign is proud to announce its 2013 global Campaign for Breast Cancer Awareness Month and beyond. The 2013 theme, "Let's Defeat Breast Cancer. We're Stronger Together.", is a call-to-action that will serve to shift public focus from awareness to increased action, advancing us further towards eradicating breast cancer from our lives. To date, The BCA Campaign has raised more than $48 million to support global research, education and medical services. This year's BCA Campaign is committed to raising $5 million to support breast cancer research, education and medical services worldwide. Action doesn't happen alone. When we join together...We're Stronger Together.

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Over the past two decades, The Estee Lauder Companies' BCA Campaign, launched by the late Evelyn H. Lauder, co-creator of the Pink Ribbon and founder of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation® (BCRF), has been a leading voice for breast cancer awareness around the world, sparking a global movement that has helped save millions of lives. In the spirit of Mrs. Lauder's forward-thinking vision, this year's BCA Campaign will expand focus from breast cancer awareness by encouraging people to reach even further, taking specific actions aimed at preventing and eradicating the disease. The Campaign and its supporting initiatives will galvanize the global masses to defeat breast cancer by lessening the stigma and deepening awareness across the globe, while raising significant funds for critical medical research.

To kick off The BCA Campaign and to demonstrate that collectively "We're Stronger Together.", William P. Lauder, Executive Chairman of The Estee Lauder Companies Inc., and Fabrizio Freda, President and CEO of The Estee Lauder Companies Inc., rang The New York Stock Exchange Opening Bell®. They were joined by several colleagues from the Company who have been personally touched by breast cancer, Company executives, and a BCRF researcher whose critical work on breast cancer is funded through the support of The Estee Lauder Companies.

William P. Lauder, Executive Chairman of The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. stated, "Over the past twenty years, The BCA Campaign has made significant progress in bringing awareness to breast cancer and the fear that once surrounded the disease is being replaced by hope and inspiration. This year, we feel it is vitally important that we encourage people to move beyond awareness by taking actions that we know can help save lives. My mother, Evelyn H. Lauder, believed that no one can defeat breast cancer alone - this spirit of unity is at the heart of our Campaign as we bring people together across the globe to defeat this disease."

Fabrizio Freda, President and CEO of The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. said, "Every year around the world, our employees, consumers and retail partners come together with great enthusiasm and passion to participate in The BCA Campaign. Our vision for this year's Campaign was inspired by that same passion and its potential to affect real change in the lives of real people and families who are touched by this disease. To date, The BCA Campaign has raised $48 million to support research, education and medical services worldwide. Our goal is to have this year's Campaign resonate in every corner of the world, raise significant funds, empower people to share their strength and bring us closer than ever before to a world without breast cancer."

Elizabeth Hurley, Estee Lauder Spokesmodel and Global Ambassador for The BCA Campaign stated, "I'm delighted to be a part of this dynamic new Campaign that encourages strength, bringing millions together worldwide - women, men, families - empowering them to garner strength from one another to accomplish Evelyn's mission to eliminate breast cancer once and for all; Evelyn believed we could do it, and so do I. We will do it together."

As part of this year's global initiative, The 2013 BCA Campaign is launching a social experience that invites people from around the world to create their own "Circles of Strength" comprised of friends, family, co-workers and loved ones to rally around any action - large or small - that might advance us toward eradicating breast cancer all together. Visitors are encouraged to create their "Circles of Strength" by tagging their Facebook friends and declaring a common goal, such as agreeing to make healthy lifestyle changes, committing to scheduling a mammogram if 40 and older, sharing meaningful stories and/or donating to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®. A donation to BCRF of $50 funds approximately one hour of lifesaving research, and every $250,000 raised supports a research project for an entire year. The Campaign also encourages people to join together to donate any amount to BCRF through BCAcampaign.com - each and every dollar will be a step closer to eradicating this unyielding disease. A "Circle" can also be shared through multiple social networks and participants are encouraged to use the hashtag BCAstrength. Throughout the year, "Circles of Strength" activity will be supported by The BCA Campaign's Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, many of The Estee Lauder Companies' brand websites, as well as global digital media. Users can participate in The BCA Campaign and create their "Circles of Strength" at BCAcampaign.com/stronger together.

Another special component of this year's BCA Campaign is the "We're Stronger Together" video, which follows three inspiring breast cancer survivors and chronicles their uplifting journeys. The video demonstrates their stories of strength and aims to encourage people to take action against the disease.

Around the world, The Estee Lauder Companies' Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign will take action to defeat breast cancer through local fundraising and educational initiatives. In Israel, top chefs and restaurants kicked off a month-long BCA Pink Dish Program, supporting the Israeli Cancer Association, and Elizabeth Hurley illuminated the BT Tower in London to focus attention on breast health throughout the city. In Seoul, Korea, participants are invited to bring a friend, family or loved one to showcase their united strength and commitment to a healthy lifestyle.

The 2013 BCA Campaign creative was conceived by Jim Nevins, Senior Vice President, Global Creative Director of Clinique; Aubyn Gwinn, Executive Director, Clinique Print Design and Carol Tuder, Vice President, Clinique Copy Worldwide, with images photographed by Christian Whitkin. The four ad visuals include a diverse group of people celebrating the deeply supportive role of mothers, friends and partners. These images are relatable, and strive to convey the message that breast cancer touches all of us and to inspire collective action globally. In the behind-the-scenes ad campaign video, currently available on The BCA Campaign YouTube channel, participants discuss their personal connections to breast cancer, share their approaches for maintaining inner beauty and wellness, and discuss ways to take action and support others.

The BCA Campaign is devoted to defeating breast cancer through education and medical research. The Campaign is currently active in over 70 countries and has raised more than $48 million to support research, education and medical services globally, $38 million of which has funded 152 BCRF research projects worldwide in the past 20 years. These funds have directly resulted in significant innovations and improvements in care, most recently supporting BCRF studies such as: the launch of an early-phase breast cancer vaccine trial; improved ways to assess risk in young girls from families with multiple cases of breast cancer, and the design of a weight-loss program for women with early-stage breast cancer to help prevent reoccurrence or metastasis.

The following highly sought-after and iconic brands of The Estee Lauder Companies are contributing to The 2013 BCA Campaign by selling Pink Ribbon products or making donations: Aveda, Bobbi Brown, Bumble and bumble, Clinique, Coach, Darphin, Donna Karan Cosmetics, Estee Lauder, Jo Malone London, La Mer, Lab Series Skincare for Men, Origins, Prescriptives, Smashbox and Tom Ford Beauty. In true "We're Stronger Together" spirit, these brands are united in their support of The BCA Campaign's mission to defeat breast cancer through education and medical research.

BEGINNING OCTOBER 2013, THE BCA CAMPAIGN WILL:

• Raise $5 million to support breast cancer research, education and medical services globally.
• Reach millions of people worldwide with its lifesaving message to shift public focus from awareness to increased action.
• Invite people around the world to create "Circles of Strength" on www.BCAcampaign.com/strongertogether to comment, share and rally around any action - large or small - to advance us toward eradicating breast cancer from our lives.
• Bring public awareness to the importance of early detection and breast health globally through educational brochures, BCAcampaign.com as well as Facebook.com/BCAcampaign, Twitter: @BCAcampaign and Instagram: @BCAcampaign, and by distributing millions of Pink Ribbons at Estee Lauder Companies' brand counters worldwide.
• Offer Pink Ribbon products globally through many of The Estee Lauder Companies' sought-after beauty brands to raise awareness and funds for research.
• Illuminate global landmarks in glowing pink lights, focusing attention on the importance of defeating breast cancer. These pink lights will brighten up landmarks across the globe including the Empire State Building in New York, the Bandra-Worli Sea Link in Mumbai, the BT Tower in London, La Moneda in Santiago and The Peninsula in Hong Kong.

For More Information:
The Estee Lauder Companies' Breast Cancer Awareness (BCA) Campaign is devoted to defeating breast cancer through education and medical research. For more information, please visit our website at BCAcampaign.com and like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/BCAcampaign.

The Estee Lauder Companies Inc.:
The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. is one of the world's leading manufacturers and marketers of quality skin care, makeup, fragrance and hair care products. The Company's products are sold in over 150 countries and territories under the following brand names: Estee Lauder, Aramis, Clinique, Prescriptives, Lab Series, Origins, M-A-C, Bobbi Brown, Tommy Hilfiger, Kiton, La Mer, Donna Karan, Aveda, Jo Malone London, Bumble and bumble, Darphin, Michael Kors, American Beauty, Flirt!, GoodSkin Labs, Grassroots Research Labs, Tom Ford, Coach, Ojon, Smashbox, Ermenegildo Zegna, Aerin Beauty, Osiao, Marni and Tory Burch.

Contacts:
Bari Seiden
The Estee Lauder Companies Inc.
767 Fifth Avenue, 42nd Floor
New York, NY 10153
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Sandra Plasse
King + Company
101 Fifth Avenue, 8th Floor
New York, NY 10003
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SOURCE The Estee Lauder Companies' Breast Cancer Awareness (BCA) Campaign