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DO THE (RED) THING
From today, consumers can shop (RED) with American Express and Gap to help fight HIV/AIDS in Africa.
March 1, 2006 – Is it possible to save the world while doing what we enjoy? UK consumers are about to discover that we can have what we want and do some good at the same time. From today, American Express and Gap will launch products carrying the (RED) logo with a portion of profits donated to the Global Fund to help fund programmes in Africa for women and children affected by HIV/AIDS.
American Express RED is an innovative credit card, available from today, that offers free annual membership, and a minimum of 1% on all eligible spend is paid directly to the Global Fund. Also, there are additional unique benefits that are tailored to meet the lifestyle needs of Cardmembers. REDdeals give access and value through retail, travel and entertainment offers on a monthly basis. Hand−picked offers and events include tickets to the sold-out Rolling Stones concerts in August and discounts at outlets such as Harvey Nichols’ Fifth Floor Restaurant. For further information, visit www.AmericanExpressRED.co.uk
Gap has developed a special collection of (RED) items. The first to hit shops is a 100% African-made vintage-style t-shirt in a range of colours, for both men and women priced at £14.50. The t-shirt is launching in all Gap stores in the UK today, with the enhanced collection available in the US and UK from Autumn 2006. 50% of profits from Gap’s (RED) T-shirts will go directly to the Global Fund. For further information, email custservuk@gap.com.
(Product) RED has been designed to bring the war on HIV/AIDS to the high street, generating a sustainable flow of money into the Global Fund. Launched by co-founders Bono and Bobby Shriver at the World Economic Forum, products from Converse and Giorgio Armani will be available from April 2006. For more information on RED visit www.joinred.com. For more information on the Global Fund visit www.theglobalfund.org |
FACT SHEET
PRODUCT RED ENGAGES BIG BUSINESS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST AIDS
• Product RED engages big business to raise awareness and funds for The Global Fund to help fight AIDS in Africa. We do this by teaming up with iconic brands. Launch partners are: American Express, Converse, Gap and Giorgio Armani.
• RED is a branding mechanism which companies license to sell RED branded products to raise funds for the Global Fund. Companies whose products take on the RED mark make a commitment to contribute a portion of profits from the sales of that product into Global Fund-financed AIDS programmes, with a focus on women and children in Africa.
• RED is not a charity or "campaign". It is an economic initiative that aims to deliver a sustainable flow of private sector money to the Global Fund.
• RED was created by Bono (U2, singer and activist) and Bobby Shriver (Chairman of DATA – Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa). Both also founded DATA in 2002, an organisation created to put political pressure on world governments to tackle the key issues surrounding debt, AIDS and trade in Africa.
A WORLDWIDE EMERGENCY
• Every year 3 million people die from AIDS. Of the 40 million people infected by HIV/AIDS, Africa (which has just over 10% of the world’s population) is home to 60% (25 million). The disease is the leading cause of death in Africa.
• Women comprise the fastest growing population group living with HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa and the result of their illness on children is compelling. Every time a man or woman is started on anti-retroviral drugs, the survival of children becomes less precarious.
• An estimated 13 million children in Africa have been orphaned because of HIV/AIDS already and this number is growing. Almost 2000 children, most of them from sub-Saharan Africa, are infected with HIV each day.
THE GLOBAL FUND TO FIGHT AIDS, TUBERCULOSIS AND MALARIA
• The Global Fund is the world’s leading funder of programmes to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Created in 2002, the Global Fund has committed over $4.5 billion to life-saving programmes in 130 countries and accounts for a quarter of the world’s funding for AIDS programmes in the developing world (over half for malaria and two-thirds for tuberculosis). Global Fund-financed programmes already support nearly half a million people on AIDS treatment, provide over half a million children orphaned by AIDS with medical services, education and community care and reach tens of millions with the knowledge and tools to protect themselves against HIV infection.
• The Global Fund is a public-private partnership, governed by representatives of governments, the private sector and civil society from all over the world. It enables countries to design and execute their own programmes, but provides funds only on the basis of proven results. It is a lean institution with operating costs of less than 3%, ensuring that resources go directly to where they are needed most.
• The Global Fund needs additional resources from all sectors to continue scaling up the support for life-saving work around the world. |
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