nd Bobby Shriver in 2006 to engage the private sector in the fight against AIDS. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria was founded as a public-private partnership, but in its first four years, governments had invested $5 billion, while the private sector only $5 million. (RED) was designed to help solve this problem for the Global Fund by kick-starting a steady stream of private sector money into the fund. (RED) partners with the world’s most iconic brands – such as Apple, Starbucks, and Converse – to develop (RED)-branded products and events that benefit the Global Fund. Six years later, (RED) has generated $200 million for the Global Fund, making (RED) far and away the largest business initiative supporting the Fund, and its 16th highest donor, ahead of many countries. 100% of that money goes to work on the ground – no overhead is taken. (RED) supports Global Fund grants that have impacted more than 14 million people with prevention, treatment, counseling, HIV testing and care services in Ghana, Lesotho, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zambia.
While enormous progress has been made over the last decade, we risk reversing these gains if focused and effective funding is not maintained. The struggling global economy and pressing issues at home make this ever more challenging. In addition, many companies now have their own corporate social responsibility programs focused on areas strategically related to their business. So how do we keep attention on the fight against AIDS when there are so many issues competing for the public’s engagement?
(RED)’s creative DNA combined with our partners’ marketing genius and our 3 million person social media following has the ability to generate a lot of noise about this issue. If we can engage young consumers and inspire them to support companies that that are helping to deliver an AIDS Free Generation, companies will see the virtue in being part of the (RED) partner family. And when the world’s greatest companies are choosing this issue – choosing to invest in the Global Fund – policy leaders take note.
To expand the community of young people engaged in the fight, (RED) aims to tap into the cultural Zeitgeist, finding people through their passion points. This World AIDS Day, we have done just that. We’ve partnered with Tiësto, the hottest DJ in the electronic dance music movement, who has curated an incredible album called DANCE (RED), SAVE LIVES, available exclusively on iTunes. We’re launching a (RED) online boutique in partnership with Gilt Groupe where consumers can buy (RED) products in one shopping cart experience. And later this month we’ll be reaching people through a very cool social gaming venture. With each of these partnerships, young people can do the things they love to do, and those actions will benefit the Global Fund and get them involved in this fight.
As Bono says, (RED) can be the “gateway drug” for activism. As we continue to grow our community of consumer activists and use our campaigns as a springboard for additional engagement through our sister organization ONE, the grassroots campaigning and advocacy organization aimed at eliminating extreme poverty, we can truly move the dial and bring the world one step closer to the beginning of the end of AIDS.