Penfolds Pairs With (RED) in 2011

PALM SPRINGS, Calif., Jan. 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Penfolds, one of Australia's oldest and most iconic wineries, announced its partnership today with (RED)™ to contribute a portion of proceeds on its Thomas Hyland and Koonunga Hill wines to the Global Fund to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. The official launch of the partnership will be celebrated this week at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. The campaign marks the first time (RED)™ has partnered with an Australian brand, or a wine company, to create (PRODUCT) RED items.  

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With every purchase consumers make of Penfolds (PRODUCT)RED designated products - Koonunga Hill tier wines and Thomas Hyland tier wines – during promotional periods throughout the year, Penfolds will contribute 15 percent of the proceeds to the Global Fund to support HIV/AIDS programs in Africa.  

"The idea that consumers can purchase Penfolds wines for enjoyment and combine their appreciation of wine and the purchase of our product, into a means of truly making a difference feels personal and impactful," said Francesca Schuler, US Chief Marketing Officer for Penfolds. "(RED) has done such amazing work in the last four years in their fight to eliminate AIDS in Africa, but there are still 33 million people in the world battling the disease, and there's more to be done. We're pleased to help in such a noble effort."

Since 2006, $160 million has been generated through (RED) partnerships and events impacting 5 million people with testing, counseling and education.

"(RED) was created to harness the collective power of consumers to help eliminate AIDS in Africa, and we are pleased to have Penfolds join our family of brands," said Susan Smith Ellis, CEO of (RED). "Penfolds, an iconic Australian brand, brings a new consumer to the fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa, and we are thrilled to have their support. Purchases of (PENFOLDS)RED wine will generate a contribution to the Global Fund to help eliminate AIDS."

Palm Springs was the perfect venue to launch this partnership as Penfolds is the Official Wine Sponsor of the world renowned Palm Springs International Film Festival, held January 6-17, 2011. The film festival provided (RED) the opportunity to showcase their recently released documentary titled The Lazarus Effect. This 30-minute film, directed by Lance Bangs and executive produced by Spike Jonze, follows the story of HIV positive people in Zambia who undergo remarkable transformations thanks to access to antiretroviral medications. The festival will screen The Lazarus Effect free of charge throughout the day on January 7th, 2011. Check www.psfilmfest.org for screening times.

(PENFOLDS) RED products, Koonunga Hill labeled wines and Thomas Hyland labeled wines, are available in stores and restaurants across the United States. The Koonunga Hill wines include Shiraz Cabernet, Chardonnay, Shiraz, and Cabernet Sauvignon, the suggested retail is $11.99. The Thomas Hyland wines are made up of Adelaide Shiraz, South Australia Cabernet Sauvignon, Adelaide Chardonnay and Adelaide Riesling and the suggested retail for these wines is $15.

About Penfolds

Penfolds has been producing an impressive array of wines since 1844 and arguably led the development of Australian fine wine into the modern era.  The introduction of Penfolds Grange in 1951 forever changed the landscape of Australian fine wine.  Since then a series of stand-out wines, both white and red, have been released under the Penfolds masthead. The 1990s was a period of intense winemaking trials. The barrage of media attention was extraordinary, illustrating Australia's national interest in the Penfolds brand. In 2002 veteran oenologist Peter Gago became Chief Winemaker and since that time Penfolds has reached into every major wine market in the world. Penfolds wines are now widely celebrated for their diversity and quality across many price-points. The strength of Penfolds is that the wine comes first. Penfolds' range of table wines is utterly Australian, evoking a generosity of spirit and the beauty of the Australian landscape.  For more information visit www.penfoldsred.com

About (RED)™and (PRODUCT) RED™

(RED)'s primary objective is to engage the private sector in raising awareness and funds 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 help finance HIV/AIDS programs in Africa, including interventions targeting women and children. Current partners are: American Express (U.K. only), Apple, Bugaboo, Converse, Gap, Emporio Armani, FLOWE(RED) (U.K. only), Hallmark (U.S. only), Dell, Nike, Penguin Classics and Starbucks. Since its launch in the Spring of 2006, $160 million has been generated by (RED) partners and events for the Global Fund. (RED) money is at work in Ghana, Lesotho, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zambia and supports programs that have reached more than 5 million people. For more information, visit www.joinred.com.

About The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

The Global Fund is a unique global public/private partnership dedicated to attracting and disbursing resources to prevent and treat HIV and AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. This partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector and affected communities represents a new approach to international health financing. Since its creation in 2002, the Global Fund has become the main source of finance for programs to fight these 3 diseases, with funding of USD 19.8 billion for more than 600 programs in 149 countries. It has saved 6.5 million lives, from financing local educational, prevention and treatment programs. (RED)™ is the Global Fund's largest private sector contributor. For more information visit www.theglobalfund.org.

About The Palm Springs International Film Festival

The Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) is one of the most prestigious and well-attended film festivals in North America, welcoming more than 130,000 attendees each year for its lineup of new and celebrated international features and documentaries.  The Festival is also known for its annual Black Tie Awards Gala, honoring the year's cinematic achievements.  The celebrated list of honorees this year include: Ben Affleck, Javier Bardem, Danny Boyle, Robert Duvall, Colin Firth, Jennifer Lawrence, Carey Mulligan, Natalie Portman, David O. Russell, Diane Warren and the cast of The Social Network. The Festival's 22nd annual Awards Gala is presented by Cartier and sponsored by Mercedes Benz and Entertainment Tonight.  Renewing sponsors of this year's Festival are Title Sponsor The City of Palm Springs and Presenting Sponsors The Desert Sun, the City of Indian Wells, Spencer's Restaurant and KPSP Local 2. Major Sponsors include Bank of America, Penfolds the Official Wine of the Festival, Regal Entertainment, Ketel One, Desert Regional Medical Center, Integrated Wealth Management, Wessman Development, Guthy-Renker, Wells Fargo, Windermere Real Estate, Eisenhower Medical Center, Chihuly Art Glass, Panavision, Larry Abel Designs and Ocean Properties Development. For more information, call 760-322-2930 or 800-898-7256 or visit www.psfilmfest.org.

SOURCE Penfolds