There’s nothing like hitting Chicago’s “Magnificent Mile” for a pre-holiday shopping spree. But, imagine running into talk show host Oprah Winfrey and rocker Bono while you’re doing so. That’s exactly what happened to hundreds of Windy City shoppers yesterday. So why would Oprah and the lead singer of the multi-platinum rock band U2 be hitting the stores during one of the city’s coldest fall days on record? It wasn’t to stock up on their winter wardrobes. Rather, the humanitarians were promoting a new line of clothing, accessories and gadgets, including a special-edition iPod, which will raise money to fight AIDS in Africa. A publicity stunt–of course!
Sarcasm aside, the two hugely popular stars were helping to unveil dozens of “(Product) Red” items, which will go on sale in the coming weeks by The Gap, Apple Computer, Motorola, Converse, and Emporio Armani. Portions of the product sales will go to The Global Fund, an organization that fights AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
“Some people won’t put on marching boots, so we’ve got to get to people where they are at, and they’re in the shopping malls,” Bono told a massive group of reporters who tailed the two superstars as they visited the stores participating in the charity campaign. “Now you’re buying jeans and T-shirts, and you’re paying for 10 women in Africa to get medication for their children with HIV.”
According to media reports, the (Product) Red initiative, which began this spring in Britain, has already raised more than $12 million for African AIDS programs. With Apple’s iPod alone, experts predict The Global Fund stands to raise millions of dollars; especially when you consider that during the holiday quarter in 2005 Apple sold 14 million iPods. The iPod maker also plans to donate some proceeds from a $25 iTunes Red gift card to the organization.
To bring more attention to the new campaign, Apple lit up its flagship 5th Avenue store in New York in red on Thursday night. Meanwhile, The Gap decked out its four-story store in Chicago with massive red banners. The support touched Bono, who told reporters that he was thrilled with the retailers’ efforts for the campaign.
The Gap’s new Red line will debut in stores today as will Apple’s red-colored iPod nano.