Apple will launch a massive two-week campaign against AIDS on Monday, Dec. 7 which involves its retail locations as well as its online App Store in an effort to boost the company's corporate image.
(RED) is a charitable organization established by singer Bono back in 2006 that aims to eradicate the world of Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Auto-Immune Deficiency Syndrome by giving its proceeds earned from fund raisers to The Global Fund for use in giving out antiretroviral treatment to people with AIDS, especially those suffering from the condition in Africa.
"We've been involved with (RED) from the beginning and have raised $75 million, but we were convinced there was an opportunity to get people to rediscover this cause," Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of software and services, told USA TODAY.
"This time, it was about getting developers deeply involved. It couldn't just be veneer."
Apple approached 25 top-selling app makers six months ago and got them to customize their products with (RED)-tinged tweaks for the effort. Check them out here.
Aside from that, Apple will also be giving out a special (RED) edition gift card to customers who buy selected products in Apple retail and online stores, which part of the earnings will be given to The Global Fund.
On Dec. 1, World AIDS Day, Apple will donate a portion of all in-store and online purchases to this cause.
"When Apple approached us, we were blown away by the possibility to use our platform to do something this massively good," says Frank Gibeau, executive vice president of EA Mobile, whose participating apps - FIFA 15 and Sims FreePlay - have tallied 100 million iOS downloads to date.
"It's inspired us to think about these things," he adds. "In the coming weeks, we'll see how our customers respond (to the campaign), and we'll use that to see what we can do going forward."
