Avon - The Company for Women - Corporate Responsibility

Avon Mexico and its advertising agency, Young & Rubicam, were honored in 2006 at the VI Latin American Awards for Social Work for their Speak Out Against Domestic Violence print advertisement. The ad, entitled "Golpe" ("Punch"), won the Silver Shell award in the print publicity category. The compelling winning creative featured a beautiful model with a black eye and the headline "At Avon, we don’t want you to cover it up," and provided contact information for Mexico’s Speak Out Against Domestic Violence program ("Alza la Voz").

Avon Mexico was the first market to launch the Speak Out Against Domestic Violence program outside the US, and broke new ground in tackling the challenging issue.The recognition for this PSA gave Avon Mexico and other markets encouragement to continue working in support of women and their families, and Avon Mexico continues to promote Alza la Voz in unique and creative ways.

Approximately 700 companies from 19 countries took part in the VI Latin American Awards for Social Work, covering a wide range of topics such as alcoholism, safe sex, hunger, poverty, literacy, and driver safety education. A panel of 12 men and women from nine countries were responsible for choosing winners, and entries from Peru, Guatemala, Colombia, Mexico and the Hispanic community in the U.S. were chosen winners for their creativity and originality. The Silver Shell was the second award Avon Mexico received for its "Golpe" PSA. A few months earlier, the company had been awarded the Golden Trophy in the Public Well-being Services category at the prestigious International Caribbean Publicity Festival.

In late 2008, Avon Czech Republic won three very prestigious awards at the third annual FLE Media Awards gala hosted in Prague. The company and its advertising agency Starcom Media Vest Group, were recognized for the creativity and effectiveness of its Breast Cancer Crusade advertisement campaign, "Fight!"

The winning campaign featured pink boxing gloves—a symbol of the campaign—in various surprising placements, such as on the hands of mannequins in shop windows and as the favorite "picks & tips" of fashion editors in popular women’s magazines.

In addition to the Grand Prix for the best campaign of the year, the company also received an award in the "small campaign" and "most creative client" categories.

The goal of the Czech Breast Cancer Crusade campaigns is to raise awareness and inspire women to think about prevention and early detection—and to take action, such as visiting a doctor. The award-winning campaign was created to surprise people through an innovative media approach and thereby catch their attention with the important message.

This is the first year that Avon Czech Republic has been honored with this award.

Avon Ireland was recognized in 2008 for its sponsorship of "Unraveling the Ribbon,"a play based on interviews with breast cancer survivors, many of whom had used the services of two nurse counselors funded by the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade. The play was a ground-breaking initiative for Avon, using drama to raise breast cancer awareness and thereby widening the reach of the Crusade to a new audience.

Avon was praised for its vision and willingness to try something new and was highly commended in the Best Corporate Social Responsibility category by Business to Arts—an organization that encourages corporate support for the cultural life of Ireland. In accepting the award, Avon Ireland Country Manager Sue Baker said, "This award is testament to our two Avon nurses, and to our distributors and Representatives whose support ensures we can maintain this unique service. I was proud to accept this award on their behalf—and for all those women for whom the Avon nurse is an emotional lifeline when they feel as if they are drowning." The play was sold out and very well received by critics; it was revived in 2008 for a nationwide tour in the months of September and October.