Apple dresses up stores with red logos, employees wear red shirts for World AIDS Day

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in General Discussion
Apple on Thursday tinted red the iconic backlit logos installed outside brick-and-mortar stores around the world, continuing a long-standing tradition in support of World AIDS Day, which falls on Dec. 1.


Fifth Avenue Apple store logo dressed in red. | Source: Instagram user way2sexy4u


As in years past, more than 400 Apple outlets from New York to China are now fronted with red signage, while employees inside wear red shirts instead of the standard blue uniform.

The changes commemorate Apple's partnership with the Project(RED) charity, an initiative cofounded by U2's Bono to raise awareness and funds to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa. Apple, along with a number of other major product makers and retailers, creates special Product(RED) branded items and donates a portion of the purchase price to The Global Fund.

Apple first collaborated with the charity in 2006, later mandating the annual store logo color change in 2012.

This year Apple launched a few new accessories and special edition devices as part of the effort. Headlining the 2016 Product(RED) lineup are red versions of the Beats Solo3 Wireless headphones and Pill+ Bluetooth speaker. Apple is also marketing a red iPhone 7 Smart Battery Case and red leather-backed iPhone SE Case.

In addition to hardware, the company is donating $1 -- up to a cap of $1 million -- for every Apple Pay transaction made at an Apple store, on Apple.com, or through the Apple Store app from now through Dec. 6. Bank of America is making an identical pledge for every Apple Pay transaction involving its various credit cards.

For its digital stores, Apple partnered with app makers to deliver (RED) branded in-app purchases for 20 popular games, while iTunes is accepting direct donations. Music act The Killers is also donating proceeds of its holiday album "Don't Waste Your Wishes" and their cover of "I'll Be Home for Christmas" to the (RED) initiative.

Apple CEO Tim Cook in an interview this week defended the company's Product (RED) promotions against assertions that the charitable partnership was born out of pure self-interest.

"We'll always help the most people through our products, because they empower people to do great things themselves," Cook said. "But this (RED) partnership allows us to touch a group of people we normally wouldn't. Sub-Saharan Africa is not a big marketplace for us. This is about trying to lift people up."

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 19
    I hate to say this, but if @sog35 doesn't show up with his usual rants, this story will end with one comment, mine. 

    Everyone holding hands and singing kumbayya does not make a lot of page views, I am afraid. I am fairly sure that AI owners and editors know that. 
    edited December 2016 caliSpamSandwich
  • Reply 2 of 19
    anomeanome Posts: 1,533member
    I actually like that Apple do this kind of thing. They are by no means the only ones who do, but getting involved in good causes like this one not only helps boost their brand, but it also tends to actually do some good. At least some of the time.
    magman1979jay-tafrodri
  • Reply 3 of 19
    I hate to say this, but if @sog35 doesn't show up with his usual rants, this story will end with one comment, mine. 

    When I feel misery, I read sog35's rants. It's like a therapy to see how miserable one can be.  /s
    magman1979Rayz2016afrodri
  • Reply 4 of 19
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    This strikes me as just another event where liberals attempt to do something that will primarily end up making them feel better about themselves, and they can go around patting each other on their backs, but ultimately not having much of an effect on the overall problem that they're claiming to want to solve.

    I also unwittingly donated to this effort today, since I paid by Apple Pay in a few stores that I visited. I have a Bank of America CC, but I didn't use that today, so I guess that I didn't end up double donating at least.

    The main problem is culture, ignorance and stupidity, and simply throwing money at culturally backwards and bankrupt regions of the world is not going to have much of any impact.
    SpamSandwich
  • Reply 5 of 19
    It's great that Apple wants to help. I'm going to Africa in April on a missions trip. HIV has taken countless lives there. Medical missions will be a big part of that. A school has already been built as well as a church, a farm, and water purification. It's awesome. 

    I just wonder how how much help Apple is actually providing. 

    Theyd make a bigger impact donating those proceeds to some of the good churches with people dedicating their lives to help people in every way. 

    researching some of the criticism of this initiative only reinforces my thinking. 

    Still, at least they are doing something. 
    cali
  • Reply 6 of 19
    apple ][ said:
    This strikes me as just another event where liberals attempt to do something that will primarily end up making them feel better about themselves, and they can go around patting each other on their backs, but ultimately not having much of an effect on the overall problem that they're claiming to want to solve.

    I also unwittingly donated to this effort today, since I paid by Apple Pay in a few stores that I visited. I have a Bank of America CC, but I didn't use that today, so I guess that I didn't end up double donating at least.

    The main problem is culture, ignorance and stupidity, and simply throwing money at culturally backwards and bankrupt regions of the world is not going to have much of any impact.
    Pretty much. 
  • Reply 7 of 19
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    getvoxoa said:
    I hate to say this, but if @sog35 doesn't show up with his usual rants, this story will end with one comment, mine. 

    When I feel misery, I read sog35's rants. It's like a therapy to see how miserable one can be.  /s
    He's an amateur compared to apple ][
    magman1979jay-tsingularitymacxpresstomkarlafrodricalilondor
  • Reply 8 of 19
    sirlance99sirlance99 Posts: 1,293member
    The employees have already been wearing red shirts for a couple of weeks. They didn't all of a sudden just start wearing them today. It's for the holidays not aids day. 
  • Reply 9 of 19
    Apple does this every year. Not sure why it's still considered newsworthy.
    Soli
  • Reply 10 of 19
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    apple ][ said:
    ...culturally backwards and bankrupt regions of the world is not going to have much of any impact.
    That explains why the US is now run by why regressives who believe that "mixed race" children are an abomination, don't feel women should have rights to their own body, believe that homosexuality is a mental condition cured by Jesus, that all Muslims are terrorists, wants segregation of so-called "races" and the expulsion of all but the "one pure race," the reason the US keeps failing in education as they discount all science they can't understand, clam that evolution has no basis in fact because it's a theory, want creationism taught in school, want freedom of religion upheld so long as it's one of the major Christian religions, and use the terms that mean "open to new behavior or opinions and willing to discard traditional values," "favoring or promoting change or innovation," and "advocacy of rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes" as pejoratives. Yes, I wholeheartedly agree that your views that the US is now both culturally backwards and (morally) bankrupt. It's good that we agree on something.
    edited December 2016 Rayz2016singularitymacxpressanantksundaramdasanman69afrodrilondor
  • Reply 11 of 19
    sirlance99sirlance99 Posts: 1,293member
    It's great that Apple wants to help. I'm going to Africa in April on a missions trip. HIV has taken countless lives there. Medical missions will be a big part of that. A school has already been built as well as a church, a farm, and water purification. It's awesome. 

    I just wonder how how much help Apple is actually providing. 

    Theyd make a bigger impact donating those proceeds to some of the good churches with people dedicating their lives to help people in every way. 

    researching some of the criticism of this initiative only reinforces my thinking. 

    Still, at least they are doing something. 
    The last thing a company needs to be doing is donating to a church. 
    londor
  • Reply 12 of 19
    polymniapolymnia Posts: 1,080member
    Politics aside, the point of this is fighting AIDS. I don't really think this is a liberal versus conservative thing. I'm pretty sure both wings are against AIDS, are they not?
    tomkarllondorspice-boy
  • Reply 13 of 19
    KattyFKattyF Posts: 1unconfirmed, member
    Very good idea. World must know about these strong people. BTW i saw something similar in logaster gallery https://www.logaster.com/gallery/ .
  • Reply 14 of 19
    spice-boyspice-boy Posts: 1,450member
    apple ][ said:
    This strikes me as just another event where liberals attempt to do something that will primarily end up making them feel better about themselves, and they can go around patting each other on their backs, but ultimately not having much of an effect on the overall problem that they're claiming to want to solve.

    I also unwittingly donated to this effort today, since I paid by Apple Pay in a few stores that I visited. I have a Bank of America CC, but I didn't use that today, so I guess that I didn't end up double donating at least.

    The main problem is culture, ignorance and stupidity, and simply throwing money at culturally backwards and bankrupt regions of the world is not going to have much of any impact.
    So AIDS does not exist in the America's, Europe and Asian? Raising money (and awareness) to fight a disease which has killed millions is a bad thing? Why am I wasting my time.....
    afrodricalilondor
  • Reply 15 of 19
    spice-boyspice-boy Posts: 1,450member

    It's great that Apple wants to help. I'm going to Africa in April on a missions trip. HIV has taken countless lives there. Medical missions will be a big part of that. A school has already been built as well as a church, a farm, and water purification. It's awesome. 

    I just wonder how how much help Apple is actually providing. 

    Theyd make a bigger impact donating those proceeds to some of the good churches with people dedicating their lives to help people in every way. 

    researching some of the criticism of this initiative only reinforces my thinking. 

    Still, at least they are doing something. 
    The last thing a company needs to be doing is donating to a church. 
    I am not a fan of organized religions but in some cases churches are the only organizations  helping people in need in nations who governments spend more money on military and zero on the health of its citizens. 
    cali
  • Reply 16 of 19
    spice-boyspice-boy Posts: 1,450member

    apple ][ said:
    This strikes me as just another event where liberals attempt to do something that will primarily end up making them feel better about themselves, and they can go around patting each other on their backs, but ultimately not having much of an effect on the overall problem that they're claiming to want to solve.

    I also unwittingly donated to this effort today, since I paid by Apple Pay in a few stores that I visited. I have a Bank of America CC, but I didn't use that today, so I guess that I didn't end up double donating at least.

    The main problem is culture, ignorance and stupidity, and simply throwing money at culturally backwards and bankrupt regions of the world is not going to have much of any impact.
    Pretty much. 
    You mean the way my Liberal tax dollars go to supporting trainer trash Trump supporters? 
    Solilondor
  • Reply 17 of 19
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
     The other day I was thinking about all the good Apple does such as their aids campaign and how funny it is that if an iPhone bends or catches "touch disease" it's worldwide news but when they save a forrest or donate millions through Product (RED) there's not a blip on the news. 
  • Reply 18 of 19
    Cue the haters. 
  • Reply 19 of 19
    sirlance99sirlance99 Posts: 1,293member
    cali said:
     The other day I was thinking about all the good Apple does such as their aids campaign and how funny it is that if an iPhone bends or catches "touch disease" it's worldwide news but when they save a forrest or donate millions through Product (RED) there's not a blip on the news. 
    Because every large corporation does the same thing. They all donate and have special programs for this and that. It's good corporate branding and image along with a tax write off.

    Heck, it looks as if Apple isn't even in the top 20

    http://fortune.com/2016/06/22/fortune-500-most-charitable-companies/

    Or in the top 25

    25 of the most generous companies in America

    http://www.businessinsider.com/most-generous-companies-in-america-2015-2016-6/#25-mondelez-international-1
    edited December 2016
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