Week 3 EOC: Making Money for Good

(RED) is a marketing company that uses comparably priced products to help fund the development of AIDS research.  It’s a very simple concept and very easy for consumers to support.  When shoppers purchase products from (RED), up to 50% of the profit from the product goes straight to AIDS research.  Many manufacturers have partnered with (RED) to help support this movement.   (RED) does not manufacture the products, they simply distribute them. "The funds that are earned come straight from the manufacturer and go to the Global Fund."  For example: when an Apple iPhone case is purchased using (RED), Apple will donate up to 50% of the profit directly Global Funds, not to (RED) (http://www.joinred.com/aboutred/how-red-works/).  The funds that are sent to Global Funds go completely to finance HIV/AIDS programs and support treatment to prevent transmission of AIDS from mothers to children. 

            (RED) was started over 4 years ago by Bono (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/06/business/06red.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0).  The campaign raised nearly $22 million in the first year of its existence.  Branding everything from t-shirts to iPods to laptops, “(Product)RED” can be found on thousands of products.  “According to Rwandan officials, Red contributions have built 33 testing and treatment centers, supplied medicine for more than 6,000 women to keep them from transmitting H.I.V. to their babies, and financed counseling and testing for thousands more patients.”  Apple has been a major contributor to (RED).  “Since its introduction, (PRODUCT) RED has generated more than $190 million — more than $50 million from Apple alone — for the Global Fund” (https://www.apple.com/product-red/).  In 2010 there were 1000 babies born with HIV each day.  In 2011 there were 900.  The goal for (RED) is to have that number near zero by 2015.