A Concert Series to Fight AIDS in Africa with O.A.R. and More

You're probably familiar with the (RED) brand, or at least have seen it at the Gap or at Starbucks. It's a simple business model, devised by Bono and and ONE/DATA founder Bobby Shriver where products people already buy are turned "(RED)", and when someone buys a (RED) version of that product, a portion of it goes to provide medicine for people with AIDS in Africa. The model has been both praised and derided for making philanthropy cold and numerical. Having raised over $130 million for The Global Fund via sales of iPods, Dell Computers, clothing from The Gap and more, the cold, numerical model that appeals to the self-interest of consumers as much as their good will, seems to be working.

Today, (RED) announced their newest "product", (RED)NIGHTS, a concert series where ticket sales follow the (RED) model. There will be 26 shows – artists announced so far include O.A.R., Santigold, Gomez and more.

O.A.R.'s Marc Roberge had this to say about turning an O.A.R. show (RED): "If bringing awareness to what (RED) is doing helps one person receive antiretroviral treatment and live a healthy life we have accomplished our goal."

Whether it brings awareness or not, the concerts will bring something better: medicine. $13 can provide one person with a month's worth of medicine. 26 concerts will generate a lot of those months for a lot of people.