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Bono makes fighting AIDS a win all around
By Steve Sternberg, USA TODAY
Proclaiming "Shop until it stops," U2 singer and activist Bono will join Oprah onstage today to tape Friday's televised U.S. launch of Product RED, an effort to enlist consumers in the war on global AIDS.
Starting Friday, shoppers who buy Converse Chuck Taylors made with African mudcloth, RED clothing from Gap, certain Motorola cellphones or items from a special Giorgio Armani collection will automatically make a contribution to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis. Up to 50% of the revenue from RED sales will go to the Global Fund. Bono, Oprah and other celebs will kick off the buying spree by doing their own shopping today in downtown Chicago.
RED's goal is to increase the amount of cash donated to the global fund from private corporations, who, prior to the launch of RED in the U.K. in March, had contributed less than $2 million, according to the 2005 annual report. Since then, corporate contributions have topped $10 million.
Rather than asking corporations for one-time contributions, Bono and the Kennedy clan's Bobby Shriver hit upon the idea of what Bono calls "punk capitalism" — enabling companies to profit by supplying consumers with items they covet, at the same time making generosity hip and easy.
"It's judo," Bono says. "It's taking the motion going forward of the American consumer and using it to defend people who don't have the power on their own."
Richard Feachem, executive director of the Global Fund, says: "The power ... of RED is its win-win model. Consumers get the latest hip products, companies get a boost to their sales, the Global Fund gets vitally needed support for life-saving programs in Africa."
Bono and Shriver have been friends and collaborators ever since the U2 singer contributed a song to a Christmas album produced by Shriver to benefit the Special Olympics. In 2002, the two founded DATA, for Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa, an organization designed to pressure donor governments to relieve developing countries of their crushing debt so they could begin to revive their economies.
When they founded RED, the two began making the rounds of retailers, trying to attract those with the broadest reach.
"Once we heard the concept of RED, we knew it was right for our brand," says Dave Maddox of Converse. "The great thing about RED is that the things you want to buy are going to help people. It sounds simple, but it's the genius of what Bobby and Bono want to do."
A Who's Who of stars has signed on to represent various RED products: Steven Spielberg, Chris Rock, Jennifer Garner and Penelope Cruz, among others. Even Maria Shriver, Bobby's sister, contributed time for a video destined for Motorola phones, says Leslie Dance, corporate vice president of marketing for Motorola.
http://www.usatoday.com/life/2006-10-11-bono-product-red_x.htm?POE=LIFISVA
By Steve Sternberg, USA TODAY
Proclaiming "Shop until it stops," U2 singer and activist Bono will join Oprah onstage today to tape Friday's televised U.S. launch of Product RED, an effort to enlist consumers in the war on global AIDS.
Starting Friday, shoppers who buy Converse Chuck Taylors made with African mudcloth, RED clothing from Gap, certain Motorola cellphones or items from a special Giorgio Armani collection will automatically make a contribution to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis. Up to 50% of the revenue from RED sales will go to the Global Fund. Bono, Oprah and other celebs will kick off the buying spree by doing their own shopping today in downtown Chicago.
RED's goal is to increase the amount of cash donated to the global fund from private corporations, who, prior to the launch of RED in the U.K. in March, had contributed less than $2 million, according to the 2005 annual report. Since then, corporate contributions have topped $10 million.
Rather than asking corporations for one-time contributions, Bono and the Kennedy clan's Bobby Shriver hit upon the idea of what Bono calls "punk capitalism" — enabling companies to profit by supplying consumers with items they covet, at the same time making generosity hip and easy.
"It's judo," Bono says. "It's taking the motion going forward of the American consumer and using it to defend people who don't have the power on their own."
Richard Feachem, executive director of the Global Fund, says: "The power ... of RED is its win-win model. Consumers get the latest hip products, companies get a boost to their sales, the Global Fund gets vitally needed support for life-saving programs in Africa."
Bono and Shriver have been friends and collaborators ever since the U2 singer contributed a song to a Christmas album produced by Shriver to benefit the Special Olympics. In 2002, the two founded DATA, for Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa, an organization designed to pressure donor governments to relieve developing countries of their crushing debt so they could begin to revive their economies.
When they founded RED, the two began making the rounds of retailers, trying to attract those with the broadest reach.
"Once we heard the concept of RED, we knew it was right for our brand," says Dave Maddox of Converse. "The great thing about RED is that the things you want to buy are going to help people. It sounds simple, but it's the genius of what Bobby and Bono want to do."
A Who's Who of stars has signed on to represent various RED products: Steven Spielberg, Chris Rock, Jennifer Garner and Penelope Cruz, among others. Even Maria Shriver, Bobby's sister, contributed time for a video destined for Motorola phones, says Leslie Dance, corporate vice president of marketing for Motorola.
http://www.usatoday.com/life/2006-10-11-bono-product-red_x.htm?POE=LIFISVA
