RED Case Study

Ambition

(RED)’s ambition was to harness the power of the world’s greatest companies to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. To do this, it created both a 
new business model and a new brand model to achieve three goals: deliver a source of sustainable income for the Global Fund, provide consumers with a choice that makes giving effortless and, last but not least, generate profits and a sense of purpose for partner companies.

Action

The first challenge was to get the all-important founding partners on board. So Wolff Olins helped Bobby Shriver and Bono paint a vision of what (RED) could be. This vision of the future provoked Amex, Converse, Emporio Armani and Gap to take the plunge.

We built the brand around the idea that (RED) inspires, connects and 
gives consumers power, with a unique brand architecture that unites participating businesses by literally embracing their logos to the power (RED). Many partners have gone the extra mile and manufactured products or packaging in African countries, generating jobs and opportunities for local people.

Impact

Within the first five weeks of the US launch, the (RED) brand registered 30% unaided awareness. (RED) is now a real phenomenon, with over 
1 million fans on Facebook. (RED) partners include some of the world’s most iconic brands — including American Express, Apple, Converse, Dell, Emporio Armani, Gap, Hallmark, Nike, Penguin and Starbucks — who give up to 50% of their profits on exclusive products to the Global Fund to invest in HIV and AIDS programs in Africa. Since its launch in 2006, (RED) has generated over $170 million for the Global Fund- which is more than most individual countries donated in the same period. To date, (RED) has saved over 7 million lives.

(PRODUCT) RED

(RED) is a unique union of brands, people and ideas that is designed to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. Accentuating the idea that ‘doing good is good business’, (RED) is a 21st century initiative with sustainable, universal appeal.

By partnering with iconic brands such as Amex, Motorola, Gap, Converse and Giorgio Armani to market desirable products, (RED) connects corporations with a purpose beyond pure corporate profit. The logo embraces and powers partner marks with the (RED) brackets. Bono launched (RED) at the World Economic Forum in January ‘06 to great effect and has captured the attention of consumers and business leaders. Immediately after its launch in the UK, research demonstrated the great benefit for partner brands’ consumer perceptions and confirmed the reward to companies who showed leadership and did something incredible.