Led by Don MacKinnon, Founder of HEAR Music
NEW YORK, June 30 -- In the fall of 2008, (RED) will
unveil a simple, seamless way for people to receive music from artists they
love and artists they will discover through (RED). By applying the (RED)
idea to music this new model will create a new revenue stream for artists
and labels and buy life-saving medicine for those living with AIDS in
Africa.
Don MacKinnon, founder of HEAR Music and former Vice President of Music
& Entertainment of Starbucks Coffee Company, conceived this concept.
"(RED) is such a powerful model," said Don MacKinnon, President of
(RED) Content. "The world's best brands created (RED) products that have
generated over $110 million. What we are doing now is applying the (RED)
model to music. Every week you will receive great music from amazing
artists and people living with AIDS in Africa will receive lifesaving
antiretroviral medicine."
For five dollars a month, members will receive weekly issues containing
a selection of four elements:
-- A (RED) SONG -- an exclusive song from one of the world's best
artists.
-- A Discovery -- a great song by an emerging talent, selected by
(RED).
-- A "Crackerjack surprise" -- a fun piece of non-music content (audio,
video, text, images).
-- Stories describing details of (RED) dollars being put to work in
Africa.
All the songs are permanent downloads in unprotected MP3 format. The
content is delivered via a small application that the user downloads to
their computer's desktop. The application was designed and developed in
collaboration with IDEO -- recently named by Fast Company as the #5 most
innovative company in the world. It was built by PassAlong Networks, a
media services company that powers over 200 digital content stores.
Half of each month's membership fee will be contributed directly to the
Global Fund. Just five subscribers will generate enough money annually to
provide a person living with HIV with antiretroviral treatment for one
year.
"Don MacKinnon just might be the penicillin the ailing music business
needs. He is an innovator by nature and I have no doubt that some of the
music software we are working on at (RED) will help change the way music is
received, as well as changing the lives of Africans who will die without
the AIDS drug that (RED) can provide," said Bono.
This is the first (RED) proprietary initiative that allows for a direct
link to customers. This digital platform provides an opportunity for
delivering curated content along with stories describing the impact (RED)
dollars are having in Africa. (RED) aims to build a large network of
members, which will in turn create a sustainable flow of money to African
AIDS programs. This idea lives at the core of the (RED) mission.
"This new direct link to customers is very important to (RED). Not only
because it creates an annuity to buy lifesaving medicine for those living
with AIDS in Africa, but also because it gives us a direct relationship
with (RED) consumers, creating a new platform to communicate the impact
(RED) purchases are having on people's lives," said Susan Smith Ellis, CEO,
(RED).
To pre-register please visit http://WWW.JOINRED.COM.
Background on (RED)
(RED)(TM) and (PRODUCT) RED's primary objective is to engage the
private sector in raising awareness and money for the Global Fund, to help
eliminate AIDS in Africa. Companies whose products take on the (PRODUCT)
RED mark contribute a significant percentage of the sales or portion of the
profits from that product to the Global Fund, to finance AIDS programs in
Africa, with an emphasis on the health of women and children. Current
partners are: American Express (U.K. only), Apple, Converse, Gap, Emporio
Armani, Motorola and Hallmark, Dell and Microsoft. Since its launch in the
spring of 2006, more than $110 million has been generated by (RED) partners
and events for the Global Fund. (RED) money is already at work in
Swaziland, Rwanda, Ghana and Lesotho. For more information, visit
http://www.joinred.com.
About The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
Since its creation in 2002, the Global Fund has become the dominant
financer of programs to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, with approved
funding of US$10.8 billion for programs in 136 countries. The Global Fund
supports programs based on agreed performance targets and disburses money
in response to proven results. So far, programs supported by the Global
Fund have averted more than 2.5 million deaths by providing AIDS treatment
for 1.75 million people, TB treatment for 3.9 million people, and by the
distribution of 59 million insecticide-treated bed nets for the prevention
of malaria worldwide. (RED)(TM) is the Global Fund's largest private sector
contributor.
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