The Coca-Cola Company, in partnership with (RED), invites people from all over the world to join a global movement to help end mother-to-child transmission of HIV with the launch of a new campaign, titled “SHARE THE SOUND OF AN AIDS FREE GENERATIONâ€. The campaign will feature an array of top artists as they debut new music, and offer exclusive experiences encouraging people to come together, to share, and most importantly—to give. Funds raised from the campaign will go directly to The Global Fund to finance grants which provide HIV prevention, testing, counseling, treatment, and care services in Africa.
The month-long global program which runs through World AIDS Day on December 1st, 2014, shares a message of hope and unity to empower today’s youth to understand they can be the generation to end the AIDS crisis. 650 babies are born every day with HIV, yet life- saving medication exists and costs as little as $.40 a day. That same medication can reduce the risk of an HIV-positive woman passing on the virus to her baby by 95%. In 2013, for the first time since the discovery of the virus, more people were newly added to treatment than were newly infected with HIV, a critical milestone in reaching the beginning of the end of AIDS.
“One of the primary goals behind the movement of this campaign is to use the power of music to rally the millennial generation in realizing that an AIDS free world is within reach,†said Emmanuel Seuge, Vice President, Global Alliances & Ventures, The Coca-Cola Company. “We are grateful to all of the artists who are joining us in this remarkable effort.â€
New Music
The campaign kicks off with the debut of Queen’s “Let Me in Your Heart Again,†a previously unreleased song, mixed by William Orbit exclusively for the (Coca-Cola) RED campaign. The song features the iconic vocals of the late Freddie Mercury, who passed from AIDS in 1991. Each week, a new artist will unveil an original song which will be available to the public to download for free on iTunes the first XX of their release, with all subsequentdownloadproceedsbenefitting(RED)atITUNESLINK. Thetracksinclude:
• “Let Me in Your Heart Again†(William Orbit Mix) by Queen featuring Freddie Mercury (Week of November 3)
• “Together†by Aloe Blacc (Week of November 10)
• “Divine Sorrow†by Wyclef Jean featuring Avicii (Week of November 17)
• “I Lived†(Exclusive Remix) by OneRepublic (Week of November 24)
“It’s been 23 years since the world lost our beloved Freddie Mercury,†said Queen
guitarist Brian May. “We’ve made extraordinary progress in the fight against AIDS in that time. But we cannot simply rest on the fact that the treatment is available. We must ensure that it
is provided. Roger and I are proud to lend this rediscovered song to the (Coca-Cola) RED campaign, in the hope that Freddie’s powerful voice can inspire the world yet again.â€
Unique Experiences
Coca-Cola and (RED) have partnered with OMAZE, a leading fundraising platform that specializes in offering once-in-a-lifetime experiences that require fans make a donation to secure a chance of winning. By visiting omaze.com/CokeRed, fans will be able to enter to win incredible experiences, including:
• Backstage with Bono: Bono has created an experience for a fan to join U2 backstage at a concert and also receive a custom (RED) Guitar signed by Bono.
• The Ultimate EDM Year of Your Life: Avicii has designed his own special experience for a fan to win tickets to three of the biggest music festivals in the world and ultimately join Avicii on-stage in Las Vegas next year.
• On-Stage with Queen + Adam Lambert: Queen and Adam Lambert are inviting two fans to sit on-stage for their concert at the O2 Arena London. They will also be given a VIP tour of Queen’s legendary recording studio in Montreux, Switzerland.
• Live Like OneRepublic for a Day: OneRepublic has also created a fundraising experience where a lucky fan can spend the day with the band and enjoy VIP access to a show.
The Coca-Cola Company is dedicated to the fight to end HIV/AIDS. Since 2006,
The Coca-Cola Company and its foundations have committed over $15 million in the fight to end AIDS through awareness, education and prevention. In 2011, The Coca-Cola Company initially pledged $5 million to (RED) and has recently raised its commitment by an additional $2 million donation directly to the Global Fund. This year, Coca-Cola will leverage the size and scale of the system to rally for the cause, ultimately activating this campaign in over 40 countries worldwide.
“We are at an historic moment in the battle against AIDS – 2013 marked a tipping point: more people were added to treatment than those newly infected with the virus...the beginning of the end of AIDS is in sight. But to end it, we must keep our feet on the gas†said Deborah Dugan, CEO of (RED). “A campaign like this could not be possible without the incredible support of our friends at Coca-Cola and all these wonderful artists and activists coming together. We’re so grateful for everyone’s support.â€
About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world's most valuable and recognizable brands, our Company's portfolio features 17 billion- dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgia and Del Valle. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling a rate of 1.9 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, with our bottling partners, we rank among the world's top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system associates. For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at
beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and juices and juice drinks. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our beverages at support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo, visit our blog, Coca-Cola Unbottled, at www.coca-colablog.com or find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company.
About (RED)
(RED) was founded in 2006 by Bono and Bobby Shriver to engage businesses and people in the fight against AIDS. (RED) partners with the world’s most iconic brands who contribute up to 50% of profits from (RED)-branded goods and services to the Global Fund. (RED) Proud Partners include: Apple, Starbucks, Galaxy Chocolate (UK), The Coca-Cola Company, Bank of America, Beats by Dr. Dre, Belvedere, Claro, SAP, Telcel and Live Nation Entertainment. (RED) Special Edition partners include: aden+anais, Jonathan Adler, Theory, HEAD, Kidrobot, Mophie, FEED, Sir Richard's Condom Company, Shazam, Square, Girl Skateboards, Nanda Home, Bottletop, Fatboy USA and Bed Bath & Beyond. To date, (RED) has generated more than $275 million for the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, to support HIV/AIDS grants in Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zambia. 100 percent of that money goes to work on the ground – no overhead is taken. Global Fund grants that (RED) supports have impacted more than 55 million people with HIV prevention, treatment, counseling, HIV testing and care services. (RED) is a division of The ONE Campaign. Learn more at http://www.red.org.
About OMAZE
Founded by writer/filmmakers and friends from college, Matt Pohlson and Ryan Cummins, Omaze is an online charity platform that gives anyone the chance to win once-in-a-lifetime experiences that also support remarkable causes. Omaze has worked with top actors, musicians, and athletes around the world including George Clooney, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Lady Gaga, Will Smith, George Lucas, Jennifer Lopez, and Phil Jackson, to name a few. For more information, please visit www.omaze.com.