Bono Unveils 'Red' Philanthropic Program
Bono Unveils 'Red' Philanthropic Program
By DAN PERRY
AP
DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) - Bono unveiled a new push to fight HIV and AIDS in Africa, announcing a new program by several companies to sell products under a brand called Red, with some of the revenue going to anti-AIDS programs.
"So, here we are, fat cats in the snow, and I say that as one," the U2 frontman said Thursday to laughs. Bono was flanked by Italian fashion tycoon Giorgio Armani and corporate executives who joined him for the announcement at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos.
Bono said the money would go to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
The project includes red-theme products from American Express, Converse footwear, Gap clothing and Giorgio Armani. A red American Express card will be offered initially only in Britain, as of next month.
Products branded Red will include sports shoes, T-shirts and sunglasses - some produced in Africa, some with African materials. A slice of the revenue - numbers vary by company and product - will go to the Global Fund.
"I'm calling it conscious commerce for people who are awake, people who think about their spending power and say: `I've got two jeans I can buy. One I know is made in Africa and is going to make a difference and the other isn't. What am I going to buy?"' Bono said.
In an interview with The Associated Press, the 45-year-old Irish rocker said: "We can't do it just with governments alone. We're fighting a fire. The house is burning down. Let's get the water."
Richard Feachem, executive director of the Global Fund, said "a very small proportion" of the fund's $4.7 billion comes from corporations or individuals, but that he had concluded that depending on governments wasn't enough.
The Global Fund was created to finance a dramatic turnaround in the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. To date, the fund has committed $4.4 billion in 128 countries to fight the diseases.
Feachem said he hoped Red would generate "tens of millions of dollars soon, hundreds of millions of dollars a little further downstream. Significant money."
"If we succeed," Bono interjected. "But we could fail. If people are jaded or cynical ... or genuinely not interested, then we fail. But we've tried. I think we've come up with a sexy, smart, savvy idea that will save people's lives."
On the Net:
http://www.theglobalfund.org/en/
By DAN PERRY
AP
DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) - Bono unveiled a new push to fight HIV and AIDS in Africa, announcing a new program by several companies to sell products under a brand called Red, with some of the revenue going to anti-AIDS programs.
"So, here we are, fat cats in the snow, and I say that as one," the U2 frontman said Thursday to laughs. Bono was flanked by Italian fashion tycoon Giorgio Armani and corporate executives who joined him for the announcement at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos.
Bono said the money would go to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
The project includes red-theme products from American Express, Converse footwear, Gap clothing and Giorgio Armani. A red American Express card will be offered initially only in Britain, as of next month.
Products branded Red will include sports shoes, T-shirts and sunglasses - some produced in Africa, some with African materials. A slice of the revenue - numbers vary by company and product - will go to the Global Fund.
"I'm calling it conscious commerce for people who are awake, people who think about their spending power and say: `I've got two jeans I can buy. One I know is made in Africa and is going to make a difference and the other isn't. What am I going to buy?"' Bono said.
In an interview with The Associated Press, the 45-year-old Irish rocker said: "We can't do it just with governments alone. We're fighting a fire. The house is burning down. Let's get the water."
Richard Feachem, executive director of the Global Fund, said "a very small proportion" of the fund's $4.7 billion comes from corporations or individuals, but that he had concluded that depending on governments wasn't enough.
The Global Fund was created to finance a dramatic turnaround in the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. To date, the fund has committed $4.4 billion in 128 countries to fight the diseases.
Feachem said he hoped Red would generate "tens of millions of dollars soon, hundreds of millions of dollars a little further downstream. Significant money."
"If we succeed," Bono interjected. "But we could fail. If people are jaded or cynical ... or genuinely not interested, then we fail. But we've tried. I think we've come up with a sexy, smart, savvy idea that will save people's lives."
On the Net:
http://www.theglobalfund.org/en/
posted by lee at 12:12 AM
3 Comments:
Ok, Lee, what do you think? Is this "sexy" as Bono put it? I thought that was interesting. Do you think it will make a difference? Will you buy the clothes?
You know I love Bono! I am just curious what you think of this.
why not?
isn't all of philanthropy sexy?
it'll make more of a difference dependent upon the products & the promotion...
i remember w/enud was 1st coming out w/a little bit of buzz, but it didn't seem to ever go anywhere...
i checked on it the other nite & can see why...
the stuff is outrageously priced...
besides, i wasn't that impressed w/the product...
but hey, whadda i know bout fashion?
i'd buy them if they were reasonable...
bono's my boy!
I agree! Just wanted to throw you off and make you wonder.
I'll buy the clothes if they come out with a style that looks good on me, I'm all for phianthropy but I want to look good in my jeans too! It's just a fact.
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