Mac AIDS Fund

Mac AIDS Fund (M·A·F)

Founded	1994
Founder	Frank Toskan, Frank Angelo
Type	Operating public charity
Focus	Humanitarianism
Area served	Global
Product	Viva Glam
Method	Funding direct care, Educational programs, prevention
Owner	Estee Lauder
Key people	Nancy Mahon, Esq., Executive Director, M·A·C AIDS Fund; Senior Vice President, M·A·C Cosmetics
Website	www.macaidsfund.org

Mac AIDS Fund (M·A·F) is a public charity established in 1994 to support people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide. It donates funds to communities and organizations that offer services to people with HIV/AIDS and help to prevent the disease through educational programs. The fund is financed entirely by the sale of MAC Cosmetics' Viva Glam products.

About the fund

According to a press release from the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief announcing a partnership with the fund:

The M·A·C AIDS Fund, the heart and soul of M·A·C Cosmetics, was established in 1994 to support men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS globally. MAF is a pioneer in HIV/AIDS funding, providing financial support to organizations working with underserved regions and populations. As the largest corporate non-pharmaceutical giver in the arena, MAF is committed to addressing the link between poverty and HIV/AIDS by supporting diverse organizations around the world that provide a wide range of services to people living with HIV/AIDS. To date, MAF has raised $380 million (US) exclusively through the sale of M·A·C’s Viva Glam Lipstick and Lipglass donating 100 percent of the sale price to fight HIV/AIDS.^[1]

Among the other organizations with whom the fund partners is the United Nations Foundation.^[2]

History

The Mac AIDS Fund was established in Toronto in 1994 by Frank Angelo and Frank Toskan. In 1985 they had co-founded MAC Cosmetics, initially a manufacturer of make-up for models and professional make-up artists. The fund's income came primarily from the sales of its Viva Glam product line and the sales of greeting cards designed by children with AIDS. In 1994, Angelo and Toskan sold 51 percent of their business to Estée Lauder Companies who then completed their acquisition of the company in 1998. As of 2015, John Demsey, the Group President of Estee Lauder Companies, serves as Chairman of the Mac AIDS Fund's Board of Directors.^[3][4][5]

Viva Glam

The M∙A∙C AIDS Fund is supported exclusively by the sales of the MAC Cosmetics Viva Glam line which features lipsticks and lip glosses. According to the fund's website, 100% of the selling price of the Viva Glam products is donated to the fund.^[6]

In 2002, MAC Cosmetics also began to offer "Good Spirits" makeovers. The makeovers are free and designed to teach men and women, including transgender people, living with HIV/AIDS make-up skills that can make them look and feel better. Professional MAC make-up artists demonstrate techniques that can decrease the appearance of physical problems that may occur from medicine and treatment for HIV/AIDS.^[7]

Media campaigns

Over the years the fund has brought celebrity endorsers to their advertising campaigns.

Mary J. Blige was named spokesperson for the 2001 Viva Glam III Lipstick alongside Rap Artist Lil' Kim. She returned for the 2002 Viva Glam IV campaign which also featured Elton John and Shirley Manson^[8]

On World AIDS Day in November 2002, a showing of the film Pandemic: Facing AIDS by Rory Kennedy (sponsored in part by MAC cosmetics) took place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.^[9]

In 2004, Christina Aguilera, Pamela Anderson,^[10] Missy Elliott, Linda Evangelista, Chloë Sevigny and Boy George were named the spokespeople for Viva Glam V.^[11]

Fergie^[12] appeared on several magazine spreads for Viva Glam. She also became the fund's spokesperson for the global youth prevention initiative.^[13]

The Spring 2010 Viva Glam VI spokeswomen included Cyndi Lauper^[14] and Lady Gaga.^[15][16]

The 2012 Viva Glam spokespeople were Nicki Minaj and Ricky Martin, who is the first Latin American man to be asked to be a part of Viva Glam. They both created their own Viva Glam cosmetics. Minaj's was a light pink lipstick while Martin's was a lip conditioner. Minaj's lipstick becoming the best selling Viva Glam lipstick of all time, and she was invited back to front the 2013 campaign solo.^[17] The 2014 Viva Glam spokesperson was Rihanna, who raised 50 million for the MAC AIDS Fund. ^{[18] [19]} Miley Cyrus became the 2015 Viva Glam spokesperson. ^[20]

References