The first Red products are being unveiled today by Bono and Bobby Shriver, the chief executive officer of Red, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Bono and Shriver have managed to persuade the four major brands to make a commitment to channel a portion of their sales of specially designed products to the Global Fund to support Aids programmes in Africa, specifically those for women and children.
The launch is being described as an "economic initiative" in contrast to a charity or campaign, such as the Make Poverty History campaign, with the idea that it will encourage big businesses to raise awareness and funds by selling Red-branded products.
Products available include an American Express Red card that works by transferring 1% to Global Fund financed programs in Africa when cardholders spend up to £5,000 in any year.
If people spend over £5,000 a year, the company increases the rate to 1.25%. Amex will also hand over £5 to Red when customers use their card in the first month.
Gap has created a special Red collection, starting with vintage-style Gap red and orange T-shirts made for men and women, which are made entirely in Africa with proceeds going to the Global Fund.
The T-shirts will be available in the UK in the spring with a further collection of classic Gap items featuring Red-inspired details to be launched in the UK and US in the autumn.
Emporio Armani's first Red product will be metal wraparound sunglasses designed with a single lens, available in green, rose, blue, smoke grey and brown, all embossed with the Red logo. The glasses will be available at Emporio Armani stores worldwide from April 2006 and in selected eyewear and department stores.
Available from March, the Nike-owned Converse is offering its Chuck Taylor All Star mudcloth shoe designed by UK designer Giles Deacon and inspired by Nakunte Diarre, a renowned mudcloth artist and storyteller from Mali. The shoes will be available select speciality stores in the UK, the US and worldwide on .
Bobby Shriver, CEO of Product Red, said: "This is a long-term initiative designed for sustainability. Red partners expect that they will broaden their own customer base and increase loyalty in a manner that delivers a sustainable revenue stream to both the company and the Global Fund."
Currently, the private sector contributes less than 1% of the Global Fund's resource needs. The fund was created to finance a dramatic turn-around in the fight against Aids, tuberculosis and malaria, which kill more than 6m people each year.
Red hopes the initiative will kickstart a new income stream for the fund with companies realising the benefits of attracting consumer attention by marketing based on good services, which could mean less money spent on advertising and more of a focus on good public relations and word of mouth.
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