Ti(RED)

Product (RED)!

This brand identity was so effective with establishing itself that it ended up out-shining its cause. The (RED) concern is AIDS in Africa and for everything (RED) item you buy "some" of the profit will be used to distribute a anti-retroviral medicine to an AIDS infectee in Africa. Great cause, but it seems that (RED) has become more on a fashion statement and infatuation with the connotations that wearing the clothing gives off. Don't get me wrong, I'm positive that there are people out there wearing the clothes or use the products for all the right reasons, I'm just suggesting that on a general level the image and brand of (RED) products have superseded the cause. Even on the website (shown above) the products come before the manifesto.

But what are the right reasons to buy in to Product (RED)? Well, the AIDS cause is an obvious one, but does it all balance out in the end? GAP — currently pumping out lots of (RED) clothing — has, in the recent past, has sweat shop issues and other (RED) Contributor, Converse, has just moved some of their factories into Indonesia. Seems like these companies are just utilizing the (RED) identity to make some cash ... and it's working.

Shopping can't save the world but this brand identity is so strong its convincing the world it can.