Apple is all decked out in (RED) for the coming holidays. Cupertino just announced its biggest campaign to date to help eradicate HIV/AIDS from the world.
Starting Monday, Nov. 24, Apple will be launching a Product campaign to help raise funds for (RED), a charity founded by U2 lead singer Bono that will turn over the proceeds of the campaign to The Global Fund, which will use the funds to pay for treatment for HIV/AIDS victims mostly found in Africa. Figures by Avert.org show out of the 34 million people with HIV/AIDS around the world, around 70 percent of those, or 23.5 million are found in Africa.
Users who want to help Apple help AIDS victims will be able to purchase apps and buy in-app purchases on a specially designated (RED) section on the Apple App Store featuring 25 of the most popular iOS apps. All proceeds of (RED) app purchases will be donated to the charity. Along with this, Apple will be handing out special iTunes gift cards on Friday, Nov. 28, to customers who purchase select Apple products and will distribute "a percentage" for each gift card distributed to The Global Fund.
On Dec. 1, Monday, which is also going to be World AIDS Day and Cyber Monday, one of the biggest shopping days in the United States, Apple will donate "a portion" of every sale on its online store and each of its physical retail stores. Apple does not specify what percentage of each purchase it will donate, but The Verge estimates that one person buying an iMac will be able to provide antiretroviral medicine for one HIV/AIDS victim for up to four months. If Apple raises $10 million, some 70,000 people would be able to receive antiretroviral treatment for an entire year.
"For eight years, our customers have been helping fight AIDS in Africa by funding life-saving treatments which are having a profoundly positive impact," says Apple CEO Tim Cook. "This year we are launching our biggest fundraising push yet with the participation of Apple's retail and online stores, and some of the brightest minds in the App Store are lending their talents to the effort as well."
Apps participating in Apple's (RED) campaign are a varied group, ranging from Angry Birds and Cut the Rope 2 to GarageBand and Kitchen Stories Cookbook.
"When Apple approached us, we were blown away by the possibility to use our platform to do something this massively good," says Frank Gibeau, executive vice president at EA Mobile, which is participating with the (RED) versions of FIFA 15 and Sims FreePlay. "It's inspired us to think about these things. In the coming weeks, we'll see how our customers respond and we'll use that to see what we can do going forward."
Since Cook took over the leadership at Cupertino, Apple has become more straightforward about building a socially responsible image, something that his predecessor and Apple founder Steve Jobs never really focused on. Cook, on the other hand, is more known to have a thing for altruism, previously coming out to speak about environmental sustainability over profits and known as a staunch supporter of LGBT rights.
Apple has donated $75 million to (RED) since the first (RED) iPod Nano released in 2006.
