Tomorrow, December 1 is World AIDS Day, and to support spreading awareness for the fight against the disease in Africa and contribute to the cause, leading global brands including Nike, Gap, Converse, Starbucks, Apple, Dell and more along with a bunch of local labels as the (PRODUCT)RED partners release (RED) products, which are created in the crimson palette.
Photo: Converse (PRODUCT)RED Chuck Taylor All Star by José Parlá, www.nikeinc.com
This year, the (PRODUCT) RED range, which helps generate funds for The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (a percentage of net wholesale price is donated to the Fund), features several new limited-edition items, which will hit the stores tomorrow—these are three pinnacle items (a destroyer jacket, a backpack and a pair of shoes) refurbished in red from Nike, 500 pairs of the Converse (PRODUCT)RED Chuck Taylor All Star of the art shoes with the ‘Ephemeral Pitches, and Notes, Rhythm and Phonetics’ print designed by José Parlá, as well as the Gap T-shirt with a splodgy pattern by French designer Isabel Marant to name but a few.
Photo: A snapshot from the www.joinred.com/red website with the new Gap T-Shirt
“One of the great blank canvases of the world, the Chuck Taylor All Star has been connected with artists for decades. We invited José to collaborate with Converse (PRODUCT)RED due to our shared goal of using the power of art to promote change. Parlá’s work is also distinctive, uniquely soulful, and a natural fit for the project,” commented Ian Ginoza, Converse Director of First String and Special Projects. Some brands are offering the red items throughout the year, and some have red deals for just one day, like Starbucks—in U.S. only, the brand is donating 5¢ from every hand-crafted beverage purchase on December 1 (though, the coffee chain is also encouraging its U.S. and Canada consumers to pay with the dedicated Card, which generates 5c/5p for the Global Fund every time it is used through December 31, 2011).
In 2010, (RED) kicked off the ‘The AIDS Free Generation is Due in 2015’ campaign, aiming to help eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV in five (now four) years so that the world could have the first AIDS-free generation in 30 years. Last week, YouTube partnered with (RED) and ONE to start a conversation with a panel of international influencers from various areas, who will talk about “the progress we’ve made, where we’re falling short, and what it’s going to take to end this disease for good” on December 1. The speakers will include Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton; Bono, co-founder of ONE and (RED); Alicia Keys, co-founder of Keep a Child Alive along with other experts and leaders who contribute to the cause. The video sharing service also encouraged public to submit their questions—the top-voted ones will be answered tomorrow.
This day, some of the most famous landmarks in the world including The Empire State Building, The London Eye, Sydney Opera House and more will be turned (RED).