I do not know statistics, but I personally just prefer giving all money to research, not some. The promotional model is clearly flawed. They need to find a means of promoting awareness without it being in a passive manner. It also shows to me that people as a whole don't care quite that much. To me, if they are willing to pay money for a wristband or t shirt, surely they are doing it for a reason so why not give them a viable method of giving all of that money to research, not just a little bit.
Fair enough. I feel the same way about all those con artist organizations who claim to help feed children in Africa, when only a few pennies of every dollar even make it there.