Product Red

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Product Red (styled (PRODUCT)^RED) is a for-profit brand which is licensed to partner companies such as American Express, Apple Inc., Converse, Motorola, The Gap and Giorgio Armani. It is an initiative begun by U2's frontman, Bono and Bobby Shriver of Debt AIDS Trade in Africa (DATA) to raise money for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Bobby Shriver has been announced as the CEO of Product Red, whilst Bono is currently an active public spokesperson for the brand.

Each partner company creates a product with the Product Red logo. In return for the opportunity to increase their own revenue through the Product Red products they sell, a percentage of the profit is given to the Global Fund.^[1]

The iPod nano Product Red Special Edition is available in 4 GB and 8 GB varieties.

1 Guiding principles
2 Products
3 Timeline
4 References
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Guiding principles

The main principles of the Product Red are: [1]

To expand opportunities for the people of Africa
To respect its employees and ask its partners to do the same with their employees and the people who help make their products or deliver their services
To promote HIV/AIDS workplace policies and practices
To see the power of a community mobilized for hope, health and progress
To ask its partners to uphold the same principles

[edit] Products

The 2nd Product Red Special Edition, guest designed by Giorgio Armani

American Express Red Card.
The Gap is selling a line of clothing including a T-shirt made in the African country of Lesotho from African-grown cotton.
Converse is selling a shoe made from African mud-cloth.
Giorgio Armani has announced wrap-around sunglasses with the Product Red logo.
Motorola has announced special editions of their SLVR and RAZR mobile phones, with a 50% profit of each purchase going to the Global Fund. The Red RAZR was first launched with service by Sprint in November of 2006
The Independent newspaper is in partnership with Product Red.
The Hotel Café tour is presented by MySpace and Product Red.
Apple Inc. has released a special edition iPod nano with a Product Red theme, as well as a Red $25 iTunes gift card
NEED magazine is in partnership with Product Red.

[edit] Timeline

Launch Date	Product Type	Partner	Product Name	Description	Amount donated to Global Fund (US$)	MSRP (US$)
January 26, 2006	Launch	WEF	Announcement	Product Red initiative first announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The Global Fund identifies Rwanda as the first country to receive funding from Product Red.
March 1, 2006	Credit Card	American Express	American Express Red	American Express Red Card launched in the UK. Only UK residents with UK bank accounts are eligible.	1% of total spend. Up to 1.25% after spend over £5,000.	No annual fee for life. Typical 12.9% APR variable.
March 15, 2006	Clothing	The Gap	Gap Red	Launch party in London for the Gap line with 22 page feature in the April issue of Dazed & Confused magazine.	50% of profits from sales of (red) items
April 3, 2006	Fashion accessory	Giorgio Armani	Emporio Armani sunglasses	Metal wrap-around sunglasses (style EA 9285/S) launched worldwide. Available in green, rose, blue, smoke grey, grey and brown, all embossed with the EA Red logo. The forked frame arms, available in shades of ruthenium, gunmetal and light gold, are superimposed on the single lenses.	40% of gross profit margin from sales of all Emporio Armani Red products directly to the Global Fund. ^[2]
April 3, 2006	Shoes	Converse	Mudcloth shoes	Converse Product Red limited edition Mudcloth trainers, designed by Giles Deacon, are available in the UK and US.	15% of Net retail sales	Starting from $60
May 15, 2006	Mobile phone	Motorola	Red Motorola SLVR	Red Motorola SLVR L7 launches in the UK	£10 & 5% of every bill	$249.99
May 15, 2006	Newspaper	The Independent		Bono edits the UK's Independent newspaper for the day, featuring a distinct red print.	50% of day's revenues.
August, 2006	Fashion watches	Giorgio Armani	Emporio Armani watch	Giorgio Armani’s second Red product is an Emporio Armani unisex watch (style AR0537/AR0538). It features a large 43mm stainless steel case with a coin-ridged bezel, a leather strap available in black with red contrast stitching, or vice-versa, and steel rivets that secure the strap to the case. The large digital dial displays the time in oversized numerals and has calendar, chronograph and timer features with push button controls on the side of the case. The dial also features the Emporio Armani Red logo at 12 o’clock printed onto the dial’s outer ring.	40% of gross profit margin (see sunglasses)	$225
September 21, 2006	Newspaper	The Independent		The Independent printed its second Product Red special edition, guest-designed by Giorgio Armani. This Red edition includes articles from a host of public figures and celebrities including George Clooney, Bill Gates, Leonardo DiCaprio and Beyoncé. The newspaper's daily features section, Extra, is a 36-page magazine for the day and each paper comes with a free Kate Moss poster. All revenue from online sales will be donated to help fight AIDS in Africa.	All revenue from online sales.
October 13, 2006	MP3 player	Apple Inc.	iPod nano Product Red Special Edition	Bono appears on the Oprah Winfrey Show to US launch of Red products, including the iPod nano Product Red. Originally available in 4GB only, but 8GB models appeared in stores unannounced due to popular demand.	$10	$199 (4GB), $249 (8GB)
November 2006	Mobile phone	Motorola	Red Motorola RAZR	Sprint PCS launches the Red Motorola RAZR in the United States	$17	$304.99
January 9, 2007	Stored-value card	Apple Inc.	iTunes Product Red Gift Card	Gift card for purchases at Apple's iTunes online store, for movies, tv shows or music. Currently only available in the US at Apple's online store.	10% ($2.50)	$25

[edit] References

^ Global Business Coalition (2006, January 27). Ethical shopping: The Red Revolution. Retrieved January 04, 2007, from businessfightsaids.org
^ Emporio Armani official Press Release (HTML, DOC). Retrieved on October 29, 2006.

Tim Weber (2006). "Bono bets on Red to battle Aids". BBC. Retrieved February 26, 2006.
Product Red FAQ. Retrieved February 26, 2006.
Product Red Fact Sheet. Retrieved February 26, 2006.
[2]. Retrieved October 29, 2006.
Motorola Press Release Retrieved May 15,2006.