one campaign industry retail founded 2006 key people bono bobby shriver website red.org product red styled as product red is a licensed brand that seeks to engage the private sector in raising awareness and funds to help eliminate hiv aids in africa . it is licensed to partner companies including nike american express uk apple inc. the coca cola company starbucks converse electronic arts head bugaboo penguin classics uk & international gap armani hallmark us sap and beats electronics beats by dr. dre . the concept was founded in 2006 by u2 frontman and activist bono together with bobby shriver of the one data . the global fund to fight aids tuberculosis and malaria is a recipient of red money . as part of a new business model each partner company creates a product with the product red logo . 1 in return for the opportunity to increase revenue through the product red license a 50 percent of the profit gained by each partner is donated to the global fund . 2 as product red is a private company a portion of the contributions received from the partner brands is assigned as profit . such an amalgamation of humanitarian aid and for profit businesses is one example of ethical consumerism . in 2012 one acquired red as a division of one . contents 1 the global fund 2 products 3 criticism 4 timeline 5 see also 6 notes 7 references 8 external links 8.1 official links 8.2 other websites the global fund edit created in 2002 the global fund to fight aids tuberculosis and malaria supports large scale prevention treatment and care programs for these three infectious diseases . 3 today a quarter of all international funding for hiv aids related programs over half for tuberculosis and almost three quarters for malaria worldwide comes from the global fund . citation needed the concept of performance based funding is central to the organization and only those grant recipients who can demonstrate measurable and effective results from the monies received will be able to receive additional financing . 4 100 % of the funds generated by red partners and events goes to global fund programs that provide medical care and support services for people affected by hiv aids in africa . no overhead is taken by either red or the global fund . red is the largest private sector donor to the global fund and has generated over 150 million for hiv aids programs in africa . in november 2013 jony ive and marc newson hosted an auction at sotheby s to raise millions for the fund . 5 6 the event was attended by major celebrities including bono the edge hayden panettiere and courtney love . 7 products edit a product red ipod nano one of the products included in product red products include 8 bugaboo international . a design company that makes pushchairs for infants and toddlers . bugaboo contributes 1 % of its total revenue to the global fund . american express red card . launched in 2006 . 1 % of spending is donated to the global fund . gap sells a line of merchandise including t shirts jackets scarves gloves jewelry bags and purses . gap donates 50 % of all product red profits directly to the global fund . converse is selling a shoe made from african mud cloth . giorgio armani has announced a line of emporio armani products that include clothes jewelry perfume and accessories . motorola has announced special editions of their slvr krzr and razr mobile phones with a 50 % profit of each purchase going to the global fund . canon released a version of their sd990 camera along with a leather case in 2008 2009 . only 500 were produced . the independent newspaper is in partnership with product red . the hotel caf tour is presented by myspace and product red . apple inc. has released special edition ipod touch 5th generation and five other generations of ipod nano and the ipod shuffle with a product red theme as well as a red 25 itunes gift card . they have also released product red branded smart covers and smart cases for the ipad 2 ipad 3rd generation ipad 4th generation ipad air ipad mini and a leather case for the iphone 5s . on 29 october 2013 apple created and donated a one of a kind red mac pro computer which was auctioned by sotheby s at the red auction on 23 november 2013 . the red mac pro was auctioned for 977 000 sotheby s had estimated it would bring 40 000 60 000 . 9 a one of a kind pair of solid gold apple earpods was auctioned for 461 000 . it is reported that apple has raised more than 65 million for red since 2006 . apple has now designed product red apps . apple has claimed that all in app purchases bought within these product red apps are donated to the relief of aids . 10 nike has released a special line of red shoelaces with the profit going to the charity . their motto is lace up save lives . nike red laces didier drogba is the face for the promotion of the laces . need magazine is in partnership with product red . hallmark has introduced greeting cards that are product red . in a partnership with microsoft dell announced that it would manufacture versions of its computers xps one xps m1530 and xps m1530 that would come with a product red version of windows vista ultimate preinstalled . the company also released a product red printer . 11 microsoft would later release the product red version of windows vista ultimate as a standalone product . 12 girl skateboard company released a two part deck series with a product red graphic . a share of the profit goes to the charities . starbucks participated during their 2008 holiday promotion . for every holiday beverage clarification needed ordered 5 cents went to product red . starbucks also offers the red card and donates five cents every time the card is used . the killers write a christmas song every year with the latest being dirt sledding in aid of red . profits are given to the charity . flowe red a new online flower delivery service launched in the uk . monster cable makes special edition of beats by dr. dre solo hd with name solo hd product red 13 carolina bucci has created a special edition of her gold and silk lucky bracelets . tourneau created two special edition watches with 15 % of the retail price contributed to the global fund to fight aids tuberculosis and malaria . 14 belvedere vodka produces special edition red colored bottles . a portion of the proceeds go to product red . head company produces special red tennis bags as part of the product red project . 15 in 2014 u2 released a charity single invisible and a super bowl commercial to announce the partnership between red and bank of america . in 2014 some ios apps and or games such as angry birds cut the rope 2 the sims freeplay and clash of clans added a red update for a limited time november 24 december 7 in which the 100 % of the money spent on the app or making an in app purchase will go to the global fund . 16 17 criticism edit product red has been criticized for not having an effect proportional to the advertising investment for being much less efficient than direct charitable contribution 18 and for having a lack of transparency with regards to the amount of money going to charity as a percentage of every purchase . some critics argue that a retail middleman between donor and charity is unnecessary ; donors should just give . 19 another critique is that product red s expansion into traditional fundraising techniques such as art auctions undermines its claim to be a different and more sustainable approach to raising money for aids . 20 other critics have pointed out that its emphasis on funding treatment for aids sufferers meant that large amounts of the money will ultimately end up with pharmaceutical companies unwilling to distribute their drugs for free . 21 many accuse the campaign of profiting by using diseases as a marketing vehicle 21 for being cause branding rather than corporate social responsibility . 22 in the stanford social innovation review mark rosenman wrote that it was an example of the corporate world aligning its operations with its central purpose of increasing shareholder profit except this time it is being cloaked in the patina of philanthropy . 23 the national labor committee for worker and human rights criticised product red for its links with gap 24 which was historically a target of anti sweatshop activists although anti sweatshop organisation labour behind the label states that gap has come further than many 25 clothing companies to counter exploitation . 26 gap s product red clothes are made in lesotho rather than simply for the best price in china this goes beyond the requirements of product red . labour behind the label criticises product red for not requiring more measures to protect the rights of the workers who make their products . 25 data released in 2007 by advertising age claimed retail participants in product red including gap motorola and apple had invested 100 million in advertising and raised only 18 million for the global fund . 18 in july 2010 however red claimed to have raised over 150 million . 27 timeline edit launch date product type partner product name description amount donated to global fund us suggested retail price 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 16.9 % apr variable . march 15 2006 clothing 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 product 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 emporio armani 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 . 28 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 . 5 15 % of net wholesale price 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 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 43 mm 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