Check in with foursquare to Join (RED)RUSH TO ZERO, the Campaign for an AIDS Free Generation

NEW YORK, May 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- (RED) today announced its media partnership with foursquare to activate social media awareness for the (RED)RUSH TO ZERO campaign, in the largest non-profit check-in campaign to date. From June 1-10, 2012, flagship partner Starbucks will donate one dollar to the Global Fund, the recipient of (RED) monies, for every foursquare check-in to Starbucks locations in the US and Canada (up to $250,000). Additional partners Penfolds and Bugaboo will also make donations for the fight against AIDS for check-ins to participating third-party retailers.

The first-ever (RED)RUSH TO ZERO campaign (www.redrush.com) is an initiative to raise funding and awareness to help deliver an AIDS Free Generation by 2015, a critical milestone in the fight against AIDS. Every day 1,000 babies are born with HIV. By 2015, that number can get close to zero. The virtual elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV is part of the eight UN Millennium Development Goals. (RED)RUSH TO ZERO consists of a series of in-person and digital events and experiences involving social media, brands, celebrities, gamers, music fans and consumers around the world.

"With the launch of (RED)RUSH, we are creating new opportunities for consumers to engage with (RED) and generate vital funding just by doing everyday things, like checking in on foursquare," said Deborah Dugan, CEO, (RED).  "We are so fortunate to have incredible partners who are joining us in this campaign, generously donating their resources and allowing us to use their platforms to amplify our message and reach millions through their social media channels."

"We are proud of our partnership with (RED) and what we've been able to achieve with the support of our partners, employees and customers," said Vivek Varma, executive vice president, Public Affairs, Starbucks. "Since launching our partnership with (RED)™ in December 2008, Starbucks has contributed nearly $10 million to the Global Fund. We are excited that through (RED)'s check-in activation with foursquare, our customers have an easy way to help make a difference towards an AIDS free generation by 2015, a hugely important milestone in the fight against AIDS."

(RED)RUSH partner Bugaboo is participating by donating one dollar, pound or Euro to the Global Fund for each foursquare check-in to over 25 key retailers including the Bugaboo Store in the US, Peppermint, LTD. in the UK and Rabasa in Spain. Penfolds will also donate one dollar to the Global Fund for every check-in on foursquare to Bonefish Grill in the US, a key participating retailer.

"At foursquare, we love to see the ways that technology can be used to improve the world, and we are excited to see our community get involved in the effort to fight AIDS and raise awareness," said Dennis Crowley, CEO and co-founder, foursquare. "This is the largest non-profit campaign that foursquare has been a part of and we are proud to be partnering with (RED)RUSH."

Additional Digital Initiatives

The (RED) campaign has generated huge positive support and engagement online, as the first non-profit organization with over one million fans on Facebook and over one million followers on Twitter, according to Devex (http://www.devex.com/en/news/top-10-global-development-groups-on-social-media/75932). (RED) continues to push the boundaries of innovative digital marketing tactics and has incorporated further digital aspects of the (RED)RUSH TO ZERO campaign, including the following:

• The (RED)RUSH website, www.redrush.com houses all information about and access to (RED) products available for purchase.
• The (RED)RUSH Games, a global video game tournament, is powered by STiKS GAMING (www.stiksgaming.com) and will run from June 1-10, giving gamers the chance to compete globally against each other and their favorite celebrities – for prizes and prestige – on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
• Cash & Rocket (RED)Tour, a fundraising road trip across Europe, is hosting all fundraising through Crowdrise. (www.crowdrise.com/redtour)
• Partnering with CrowdSurge, (RED) is introducing (RED)ROWS,  allowing fans to bid on concert tickets and experiences for participating artists on joinred.com/music, with proceeds going to the Global Fund. 

More information on the (RED)RUSH TO ZERO campaign can be found at www.redrush.com.

About (RED)™

(RED) was founded in 2006 by Bono and Bobby Shriver to engage businesses and consumers in the fight against AIDS.

(RED) partners with the world's most iconic brands who contribute up to 50% of profits from (RED) branded goods and services to the Global Fund. (RED) Proud Partners include: Apple, Starbucks, Converse, The Coca-Cola Company, Beats by Dr. Dre, Belvedere, Bugaboo, Claro, Nike, Penfolds, SAP, Telcel and American Express (UK only). (RED) Special Edition partners include: Shazam, Girl Skateboards, Mophie, FEED, Nanda Home, Solange Azagury-Partridge, Bottletop and TOUS.

To date, (RED) has generated over $190 million for the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, to support HIV/AIDS grants in Ghana, Lesotho, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland and Zambia. 100 percent of that money goes to work on the ground – no overhead is taken. Global Fund grants that (RED) supports have impacted more than 14 million people with prevention, treatment, counseling, HIV testing and care services.

(RED) has initiated several high-profile initiatives to raise awareness and funds for HIV/AIDS related issues including (PRODUCT)^RED, THE AIDS FREE GENERATION IS DUE IN 2015 campaign and most recently, the (RED)RUSH TO ZERO campaign.

(RED) is a division of The ONE Campaign. Learn more at www.joinred.com.

About The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

The Global Fund is a unique, public-private partnership and international financing institution dedicated to attracting and disbursing additional resources to prevent and treat HIV and AIDS, TB and malaria. This partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector and affected communities represents an innovative approach to international health financing. The Global Fund's model is based on the concepts of country ownership and performance-based funding, which means that people in countries implement their own programs based on their priorities and the Global Fund provides financing on the condition that verifiable results are achieved.

Since its creation in 2002, the Global Fund has become the main financier of programs to fight AIDS, TB and malaria, with approved funding of US$ 22.6 billion for more than 1,000 programs in 150 countries (as of 1 December 2011). To date, programs supported by the Global Fund are providing AIDS treatment for 3.3 million people, anti-tuberculosis treatment for 8.6 million people and 230 million insecticide-treated nets for the prevention of malaria. The Global Fund works in close collaboration with other bilateral and multilateral organizations to supplement existing efforts in dealing with the three diseases.

SOURCE (RED)