Misplaced Pages

Product Red

Product Red edition of the iPhone 14
Product type	Brand
Owner	Red (One Campaign)
Introduced	20 January 2006; 18 years ago (2006-01-20)
Markets	Worldwide
Website	red.org

Product Red is a licensed brand by the company Red that seeks to engage the private sector in raising awareness and funds to help eliminate HIV/AIDS in eight African countries, namely Eswatini, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia. It is licensed to partner companies including Apple Inc., Nike, American Express (UK), The Coca-Cola Company, Starbucks, Converse, Electronic Arts, Primark, Head, Buckaroo, Penguin Classics (UK & International), Gap, Armani, FIAT, Hallmark (US), SAP and Beats Electronics.

The concept was founded in 2006 by U2 frontman and activist Bono, together with Bobby Shriver of the One Campaign and DATA. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is the recipient of Product Red's money.

As part of a new business model, each partner company creates a product with the Product Red logo. In return for the opportunity to increase revenue through the Product Red license, up to 50% of profits gained by each partner is donated to the Global Fund. Such an amalgamation of humanitarian aid and for-profit businesses is one example of "ethical consumerism". In 2012, One Campaign acquired Red as a division of One. Both organizations were co-founded by Bono and Shriver.

Since 2020, Product Red has been used in the global fund to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Global Fund

Created in 2006, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria support large-scale prevention, treatment and care programs for these three infectious diseases. Today, 20 percent of all international funding for HIV/AIDS-related programs, 69 percent for tuberculosis, and 65 percent for malaria worldwide comes from the Global Fund. The concept of "performance-based funding" is central to the organization and only those grant recipients who can demonstrate measurable and effective results from the monies received will be able to receive continued financing. All of the funds generated by Red partners and events goes to Global Fund programs that provide medical care and support services for people affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa. No overhead is taken by either Red or the Global Fund. Red is the largest private sector donor to the Global Fund, and has generated over $600 million for HIV programs in Africa as of July 2019. In November 2013, Jony Ive and Marc Newson hosted an auction at Sotheby's to raise millions for the fund. The event was attended by major celebrities including Bono, The Edge, Hayden Panettiere, and Courtney Love.

Products

Products include:

• Bugaboo International. A design company that makes pushchairs for infants and toddlers. Bugaboo contributes 1% of its total revenue to The Global Fund.
• American Express Red card. Launched in 2006. 1% of spending is donated to the Global Fund.
• Gap sells a line of merchandise including T-shirts, jackets, scarves, gloves, jewelry, bags, and purses. Gap donates 50% of all Product Red profits directly to the Global Fund.
• Converse is selling a shoe made from African mud cloth.
• Giorgio Armani has announced a line of Emporio Armani products that include clothes, jewelry, perfume, and accessories. 40 percent of the gross profit goes to the Global Fund.
• Motorola has announced special editions of their Slvr, Krzr and Razr mobile phones, with a 50% profit of each purchase going to the Global Fund.
• Canon released a version of their SD990 camera along with a leather case in 2008/2009. Only 500 were produced.
• The Independent newspaper is in partnership with Product Red. this partnership was launched in May 2006 by publishing a special issue of the newspaper and 50% of the revenue of this issue was donated to the Global Fund.
• The Hotel Café tour is presented by MySpace and Product Red.
• Apple Inc. released a special edition iPod Touch 5th generation with a Product Red theme. Subsequently, they have released several Product Red devices and accessories. On 29 October 2013, Apple created and donated a one-of-a-kind Red Mac Pro computer which was auctioned by Sotheby's at the Red Auction on 23 November 2013 for $977,000 (Sotheby's had estimated it would bring $40,000-60,000). A one-of-a-kind pair of solid gold Apple EarPods were auctioned for $461,000. Apple sold a Product Red iPhone XR and claims to have donated almost $250 million to the Global Fund. The red iPhone 11, the red iPhone SE (2nd generation), the red iPhone 12, the red iPhone 13, the red iPhone SE (3rd generation), and the red iPhone 14 are also part of Product Red.
• Nike has released a special line of red shoelaces, with the profit going to the charity. Their motto is "Lace up, save lives."
• Hallmark has introduced greeting cards that are Product Red.
• In a partnership with Microsoft, Dell announced that it would manufacture versions of its computers (XPS One, XPS M1530, and XPS M1330) that would come with a Product Red version of Windows Vista Ultimate preinstalled. The company also released a Product Red printer.
  • Microsoft would later release the Product Red version of Windows Vista Ultimate as a standalone product.
• Girl Skateboard Company released a two-part deck series with a Product Red graphic. A share of the profit goes to the charities.
• Starbucks participated during their 2008 holiday promotion. For every beverage bought on December 1 (World AIDS Day), 5 pennies went to Product Red. Starbucks also offers the Red Card, and donates five pennies every time the card is used.
• The Killers write a Christmas song every year, with the latest being "I'll Be Home For Christmas" and a compilation album of all their Christmas singles called "Don't Waste Your Wishes", in aid of Red. One hundred percent of profits are given to the charity.
• Monster Cable made special edition of Beats by Dr. Dre Solo HD with name Solo HD Product Red.
• Carolina Bucci has created a special edition of her gold and silk Lucky bracelets. 50 percent of the profit goes directly to the Global Fund.
• Tourneau created two special edition watches, with 15% of the retail price contributed to The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
• Belvedere vodka produces special edition Product Red bottles which is designed by South African Artist, Esther Mahlangu. A portion of the proceeds go to Product Red.
• Head produces special Red tennis bags as part of the Product Red project.
• In 2014, U2 released a charity single "Invisible", and a Super Bowl commercial to announce the partnership between Red and Bank of America.
• In 2014, some iOS apps and/or games, such as PewDiePie's Tuber Simulator, Angry Birds, Cut the Rope 2, The Sims FreePlay and Clash of Clans added a Red update for a limited time (November 24 - December 7), in which, the 100% of the money spent on the app or making an In-App Purchase will go to the Global Fund.
• In 2017, Amazon created a Red limited edition of the Echo speaker to support the Global Fund. In November 2020 a newer version of Echo Product Red was revealed.

Criticism

This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (May 2020)

Product Red has been widely criticized for not having an effect proportional to the advertising investment, for being much less efficient than direct charitable contribution, and for having a lack of transparency with regards to the amount of money going to charity as a percentage of every purchase. Some critics argue that a retail middleman between donor and charity is unnecessary; donors should just give.

For example, some argued that Gap's website encouraged consumption of the products, thus encouraging companies to use the product for publicity rather than social responsibility. While Product Red has helped give funds and attention to the problem, it does not form a relationship between the donors and recipients. Scholars argue that this sacrifices the purpose of movements such as Product Red. Jessica Wirgau, a professor at Virginia Tech stated that, "Red not only misses the opportunity to promote civic engagement with its audience but also ... gives corporations the power to decide which causes should be supported and to what degree".

Another critique is that Product Red's expansion into traditional fundraising techniques, such as art auctions, undermines its claim to be a different and more sustainable approach to raising money for AIDS. Other critics have pointed out that its emphasis on funding treatment for AIDS sufferers meant that large amounts of the money will ultimately end up with pharmaceutical companies "unwilling to distribute their drugs for free". Many accuse the campaign of profiting by using diseases as a marketing vehicle, for being "cause branding" rather than corporate social responsibility. In the Stanford Social Innovation Review, Mark Rosenman wrote that it was an "example of the corporate world aligning its operations with its central purpose of increasing shareholder profit, except this time it is being cloaked in the patina of philanthropy."

The National Labor Committee for Worker and Human Rights criticized Product Red for its links with Gap, which was historically a target of anti-sweatshop activists, although anti-sweatshop organization Labour Behind the Label states that Gap has "come further than many" clothing companies to counter exploitation. Gap's Product Red clothes are made in Lesotho rather than China, going beyond the requirements of Product Red. Labour Behind the Label criticized Product Red for not requiring more measures to protect the rights of the workers who make their products.

Data released in 2007 by Advertising Age claimed retail participants in Product Red including Gap, Motorola and Apple had invested $100 million in advertising and raised only $18 million for The Global Fund. In July 2010, however, Red claimed to have raised over $150 million.

In an attempt to combat the critics, particularly regarding Product Red's Transparency, around 2008, they implemented a calculator to show consumers how many doses of treatment would be received with the purchase of a Red Product. With this, some have stated that, "the campaign offers the illusion of activism without requiring behavioral changes or political engagement". While these critics show that there are negative aspects of this program, they also state that "it finds a way to generate something positive out of the currently existent system".

Timeline

See also

• The Lazarus Effect
• Cause marketing
• The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

Notes

1. Stylized as (PRODUCT) or (PRODUCT)RED
2. Stylized as (RED)

References

1. "HOW (RED) IS MAKING A REAL DIFFERENCE, The money is used to finance HIV/AIDS grants in Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, and Zambia". Retrieved March 21, 2017.
2. "RED Case Study". Wolff Olins. 2011. Archived from the original on January 12, 2012. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
3. Archived July 5, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
4. "Michael Elliott". ONE. September 28, 2012. Archived from the original on November 20, 2016. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
5. "FAQs & Contact - (RED)". (RED). Archived from the original on June 25, 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
6. "Funding for HIV and AIDS". AVERT. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
7. "Results Report 2019" (PDF). The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 27, 2019. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
8. "Living Proof | ONE". Gatesfoundation.org. Archived from the original on February 9, 2013. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
9. "(RED)". The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
10. "Jony Ive and Marc Newson's (RED) Auction | Sotheby's". Sothebys.com. November 23, 2013. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
11. Archived August 11, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
12. "Fall Season 2013: Episode 8 | In the Mixx". Inthemixxshow.com. October 17, 2013. Archived from the original on November 6, 2020. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
13. "Shop". Joinred.com. Archived from the original on December 3, 2009. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
14. "Dutch company Bugaboo joins (Red) and will donate share of revenues". www.theglobalfund.org. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
15. Lewis, Rob (January 26, 2006). "American Express Red Card". Money Watch - Personal Finance Blog. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
16. "GAP LAUNCHES LIMITED EDITION GAP (PRODUCT) RED™ MULBERRY BAG FOR VALENTINE'S DAY". Gap Inc. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
17. NYC, Annansi Chronicles » Newsneakers in; says, Hawaii (April 17, 2006). "Converse sees RED for Africa". Annansi.com. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
18. Ilari, Alessandra (November 21, 2007). "Julia Roberts, Armani Team for (Product) Red". WWD. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
19. Carta, Magna (October 13, 2006). "Motorola joins (RED) to help eliminate AIDS in Africa". ITWeb. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
20. "Independent Publishes Special Issue To Launch Partnership With Product RED". Kaiser Health News. May 16, 2006. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
21. Lot | Sotheby's. Sothebys.com (2013-11-23). Retrieved on 2014-03-06.
22. One-of-a-Kind Products Designed by Jony Ive and Designer Marc Newson Sold Off at (RED) Auction. Mac Rumors (2013-11-24). Retrieved on 2014-03-06.
23. "Apple expands partnership with (RED) to combat HIV/AIDS and COVID-19". Apple Inc. December 1, 2020. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
24. ""Lace Up. Save Lives" by NIKE(RED) | SENATUS Magazine". SENATUS. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
25. "Hallmark Sees Red for Social-Marketing Effort". October 15, 2007. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
26. Product Red (January 25, 2008). "Dell and Microsoft Launch (PRODUCT) RED Branded Products to Help Eliminate AIDS in Africa". Archived from the original on September 29, 2015. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
27. Fried, Ina (December 8, 2008). "Microsoft: Buy Vista, fight AIDS in Africa". CNET. CBS Interactive. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
28. "Can Red lattes beat Aids in Africa? | Yuvraj Joshi". The Guardian. December 1, 2009. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
29. "The Killers Release Christmas Album Benefitting (RED)". Music Connection Magazine. December 13, 2016. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
30. "Beats Featured Products & Collections". Beatsbydre.com. Archived from the original on March 16, 2010. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
31. "New Beats™ by Dr. Dre™ Solo™ HD (PRODUCT)RED™ Special Edition Headphones from Monster Available on HSN.com". www.businesswire.com. February 6, 2010. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
32. Staff, Harper's Bazaar (July 12, 2010). "Global Fund Gets Lucky with Carolina Bucci". Harper's BAZAAR. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
33. "RED.org". Joinred.com. Archived from the original on July 14, 2012. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
34. "Belvedere Vodka launches Product (Red) bottle to fight AIDS". www.luxuryfacts.com. August 25, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
35. "RED - HEAD Tennis". Head.com. Archived from the original on July 12, 2015. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
36. (RED). "(RED), U2 and Bank of America Partner to Fight AIDS". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved December 10, 2020.
37. "U2 Raises Over $3 Million For (RED) With 'Invisible' Free Download". Billboard. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
38. "RED.org". RED.org. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
39. "Press Info - Apple Announces World AIDS Day 2014 Campaign for (RED)". Apple.com. November 23, 2014. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
40. "Amazon Echo is the latest device to benefit (RED)". Engadget. November 20, 2017. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
41. "Amazon just revealed a bright new PRODUCT(RED) Echo speaker". SlashGear. November 18, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
42. ^ Archived June 24, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
43. "Philanthropyaction.com, News & Commentary: (Red) Gets a Beating, March 20, 2007 Archive". Archived from the original on October 12, 2008. Retrieved April 21, 2008.
44. ^ Amazeen, Michelle (2011). "Gap (RED): Social Responsibility Campaign or Window Dressing?". Journal of Business Ethics. 99 (2): 167–182. doi:10.1007/s10551-010-0647-2. S2CID 154859406.
45. ^ Wirgau, Jessica (2010). "Is Business Discourse Colonizing Philanthropy? A Critical Discourse Analysis of (PRODUCT) RED". Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations. 21 (4): 611–630. doi:10.1007/s11266-010-9122-z. S2CID 144906021.
46. Starita, Laura (April 29, 2008). "The Global Fund Not Seeing Red". Philanthropyaction.com. Archived from the original on May 16, 2008. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
47. ^ "Tapping into shoppers' do-gooder spirit - Business - Holiday retail". NBC News. December 2, 2006. Archived from the original on November 2, 2013. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
48. Yuvraj Joshi (December 2009). "Can Red lattes beat Aids in Africa? | Yuvraj Joshi | Comment is free". Guardian.co.uk. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
49. "The Patina of Philanthropy | Stanford Social Innovation Review". Ssireview.org. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
50. Gray, Geoffrey (October 24, 2007). "Bono's Partnership With the Gap Angers Anti-Sweatshop Activists - New York Magazine". Nymag.com. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
51. ^ "Labour Behind The Label". Labourbehindthelabel.org. Archived from the original on June 17, 2009. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
52. Archived April 18, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
53. (RED) Archived 2007-07-04 at the Wayback Machine. Joinred.com. Retrieved on 2014-03-06.
54. ^ Youde, Jeremy (2009). "Ethical Consumerism Or Reified Neoliberalism? Product (RED) And Private Funding For Public Goods". New Political Science. 31 (2): 201–220. doi:10.1080/07393140902872369. S2CID 145051023.
55. "Emporio Armani official Press Release". Archived from the original on March 11, 2007. Retrieved October 29, 2006.
56. "Red iPod supports AIDS charity". News.cnet.com. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
57. "Apple Store for Business". Store.apple.com. Archived from the original on February 18, 2008. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
58. "Why Windows - Microsoft Windows". Microsoft.com. Archived from the original on January 27, 2008. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
59. ^ "(PRODUCT)RED - Help fight AIDS in Africa". Apple.com. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
60. "Apple (PRODUCT)RED iPod shuffle". RED. October 25, 2015. Archived from the original on October 25, 2015. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
61. "Cases, Armbands & Films - iPhone Accessories - Apple Store (U.S.)". Store.apple.com. Archived from the original on June 3, 2013. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
62. "Apple (PRODUCT)RED iPod shuffle". RED. March 26, 2015. Archived from the original on March 26, 2015. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
63. "Apple (PRODUCT)RED iPod shuffle". RED. October 23, 2015. Archived from the original on October 23, 2015. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
64. Rao, Leena (February 19, 2014). "Square And (RED) Fight AIDS With Special Edition Reader And Donate Links In Receipts". TechCrunch. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
65. "Bono creates signature guitar with Gretsch for his Red charity - NME". NME. December 22, 2014. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
66. "Apple introduces iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus (PRODUCT)RED Special Edition". Apple. March 21, 2017. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
67. Mohammed, Bilal (November 3, 2024). "PRODUCT RED Legacy: Apple's 5 Innovative Products and Donations That Changed Lives". The USA International. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
68. "Apple introduces iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus (PRODUCT)RED Special Edition". Apple. April 9, 2018. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
69. "Apple introduces iPhone XR". Apple Newsroom. September 12, 2018. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
70. "Apple reveals new £419 iPhone SE to capture mid-range market".
71. "Apple Watch Series 6 delivers breakthrough wellness and fitness capabilities". Apple Newsroom. Retrieved September 30, 2020.

Sources

• Tim Weber (2006). "Bono bets on Red to battle Aids". BBC. Retrieved February 26, 2006.
• Motorola Press Release Retrieved May 15, 2006.

External links

• Official website

v t e HIV/AIDS topics
HIV	HIV Lentivirus structure and genome subtypes CDC classification disease progression rates National Addiction and HIV Data Archive Program HIV/AIDS diagnosis management pathophysiology prevention research vaccination PrEP WHO disease staging system for HIV infection and disease Children Teens / Adults Countries by AIDS prevalence rate
Conditions	Signs and symptoms AIDS-defining clinical condition Diffuse infiltrative lymphocytosis syndrome Lipodystrophy Nephropathy Cardiomyopathy Neurocognitive disorders Pruritus Opportunistic infection Superinfection Tuberculosis co-infection HIV Drug Resistance Database Innate resistance to HIV Serostatus HIV-positive people Nutrition Pregnancy
History	History Epidemiology Multiple sex partners Timeline World AIDS Museum Timothy Ray Brown Berlin Patient The London Patient City of Hope Patient Women and HIV/AIDS HIV and homosexual men
Social	AIDS orphan Religion Catholic Church and HIV/AIDS Circumcision and HIV Criminal transmission Discrimination against people Economic impact Cost of treatment HIV-affected community HIV/AIDS activism HIV/AIDS denialism Red ribbon Safe sex Sex education List of HIV-positive people People With AIDS Self-Empowerment Movement HIV/AIDS in the porn industry HIV.gov AIDS Memorial Quilt Product Red
Culture	Discredited HIV/AIDS origins theories European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership Elton John AIDS Foundation International AIDS Conference International AIDS Society Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) Media portrayal of HIV/AIDS Misconceptions about HIV/AIDS President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) The SING Campaign Solidays Treatment Action Campaign The Global Fund World AIDS Day YAA/Youthforce "Free Me" Larry Kramer Gay Men's Health Crisis ACT UP Reports from the Holocaust AIDS–Holocaust metaphor Silence=Death Project Day Without Art The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert Ayds
Locations	Africa Angola Benin Botswana Democratic Republic of the Congo Egypt Eswatini Ethiopia Ghana Guinea Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) Kenya Lesotho Madagascar Malawi Mali Mozambique Namibia Niger Nigeria Rwanda Senegal Tanzania South Africa Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe Asia Afghanistan Armenia Azerbaijan Bahrain Bangladesh Bhutan Cambodia China (PRC) Yunnan East Timor India Indonesia Iran Iraq Japan Jordan North Korea Laos Malaysia Myanmar (Burma) Nepal Pakistan Philippines Saudi Arabia Sri Lanka Taiwan (ROC) Thailand United Arab Emirates Turkey Vietnam Europe United Kingdom Russia Ukraine North America Canada Mexico El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Nicaragua United States New York City Caribbean Haiti Jamaica Dominican Republic South America Argentina Bolivia Brazil Colombia Guyana Peru Uruguay Oceania Australia New Zealand Papua New Guinea
List of countries by HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate List of HIV/AIDS cases and deaths registered by region

• Organizations established in 2006
• 2012 mergers and acquisitions
• HIV/AIDS activism
• Organizations founded by Bono