(STARBUCKS) RED launch in the U.K. & Ireland: Watch the video.

We love this video! It’s for the announcement of our (STARBUCKS) RED launch in the U.K & Ireland that happened this week. The (STARBUCKS) RED Card lets you turn ALL your purchases at Starbucks (RED). Every time you use your (STARBUCKS) RED Card in the U.K. and Ireland until 31st December 2010, Starbucks will contribute 5p/5 cents to the Global Fund to help eliminate AIDS in Africa.



The (STARBUCKS) RED range in the U.K. & Ireland:

(STARBUCKS)RED Card

Use your card to turn ALL your purchases at Starbucks (RED). Until 31st December 2010 Starbucks with contribute 5p/5c to the Global Fund.

Available: At participating Starbucks stores in the U.K. and Ireland.

Price: You decide how much money you want on the card. 5p/5cents contributed each time you use it.

(STARBUCKS)RED Tumbler

Make a difference for the environment and save money at the same time. Use the (STARBUCKS)RED Tumbler and get a 25p/25 cents discount too.

Available: At participating Starbucks stores in the U.K. and Ireland.

Price: £9.95/€12.00 with £3/€3 being contributed to the Global Fund to help eliminate AIDS in Africa.

Fall Out Boy (RED)NIGHTS Video

Pete Wentz we agree! With (RED) “You can be Bruce Wayne & Batman”. Check out this great video from their show and watch how you can channel your inner superhero.



For additional pictures and videos check out http://www.joinred.com/rednights/#concerts/night9

(STARBUCKS) RED – Now available in the UK & Ireland too

Our favourite coffee brand in the U.K & Ireland has now turned (RED). And we couldn’t be more excited!

We’ve extended our partnership with Starbucks so that all of you who live in the U.K. & Ireland can now buy (STARBUCKS) RED too. There are two products to choose from, now available at participating stores in the UK and Ireland:

(STARBUCKS) RED Card

The (STARBUCKS) RED Card lets you turn ALL your purchases at Starbucks (RED). Every time you use your (STARBUCKS) RED Card in the U.K. and Ireland until 31st December 2010, Starbucks will contribute 5p/5 Euro cents to the Global Fund to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. All those pennies add up and can make a real difference – especially as the medicine that’s needed only costs around 20p/ 20c a day per person.

Price: You decide how much money you want to load on the card. 5p/5c contributed each time you use it.

(STARBUCKS) RED Tumbler
Want to make a difference for the environment and save money at the same time? Use the (STARBUCKS) RED Tumbler and get a 25p/25c discount too.

Price: £9.95/€12.00 with £3/€3 being contributed to the Global Fund to help eliminate AIDS in Africa.

(STARBUCKS) RED items are now available in U.S., U.K., Ireland and Canada. Find your nearest Starbucks store and do something good everyday with (STARBUCKS) RED.

Dashboard Confessional Postpones North American Tour

We’ve just heard from the Dashboard Confessional guys and unfortunately they’ve had a family situation and have had to cancel their North America Tour, including the two (RED)NIGHTS shows they were going to play. Here’s the statement from the band. Chris, John, Scott, Mike – we wish you the best and we’re thinking of you and your families.

“Dashboard Confessional will postpone their scheduled North American tour on behalf of their latest album “Alter the Ending”, due to a family issue within the band. “Due to a family situation that is beyond our control, we have to cancel our upcoming tour with New Found Glory, Never Shout Never, Meg & Dia and Single File. We don't take this lightly but family has to come first. As this is a last minute development, we are still figuring out what we will do- as soon as we know, you will know. We apologize to everyone who planned on coming to the shows. We will find a way to make it up to you.” Chris, John, Scott, Mike / Dashboard Confessional. The band is still performing with the Louisville Orchestra on Saturday, November 7th and plans to re-schedule the proper North American tour in 2010.”

Susan Smith Ellis’ Blog In Today’s HuffPost

(RED) CEO, Susan Smith Ellis, has a blog featured in today’s Huffington Post. It’s called ‘One Step Closer to Universal AIDS Prevention and Care.’ Here’s an excerpt:

Here's some good news. A report issued this month by the World Health Organization, UNICEF and UNAIDS discussed the world's advance towards the goal of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services by 2010. Remarkable progress has been made, the report said.

There are now more than 4 million people on antiretroviral treatments; up from 3 million the previous year. Nearly half of all HIV positive pregnant women who need treatment to help prevent the transmission of HIV to their child during birth are now getting it. And, there are more people with access to testing and counseling for HIV than ever before. The greatest progress has been achieved in sub-Saharan Africa.

Read more here.

Inspired by Mandela

(RED) loves meeting up with old friends and last month in Kigali was no exception when we visited Rose again. She is looking terrific and thanks to the antiretroviral therapy she has been taking for around six years, Rose is strong and healthy and a leader in her community.

Rose was featured in our blog back in 2007 (read it here) and we re-cap, and update, some of her story here…

Rose learnt she was HIV-positive in 1997 and had to deal with her husband dying of AIDS that same year. She was left to raise their three children on her own and life was extremely hard – a matter of survival in fact.

Shortly after selling her car and parcel of land to maintain her family and buy the antiretroviral medicine* she needed to stay alive, Rose ran out of money. A civil servant in Kigali she was then forced to leave her job as she became too weak and too ill to work. Rose even thought of suicide.

This was all prior to 2004 when antiretroviral therapy became available free of charge to people living in Rwanda. Now, the Global Fund and (RED) help finance the purchase of this vital medicine there and tens of thousands of people in Rwanda are able to access the medicine they need as a direct result.

Five years later and Rose is doing great! She is a leader in her community representing and protecting the interests of HIV-positive people who are less fortunate or informed than she is. She also counsels people living with HIV.

Rose is curious about the world and would have loved the opportunity to attend university. Her favorite book is Nelson Mandela’s biography because she finds his perseverance and strength so inspiring.

Knowing the difficult times Rose has been through herself, it seems she too has an abundance of strength and perseverance.

*Antiretroviral medicine disrupt the action of HIV - it stops or interfere with the reproduction of virus in the body. The immune cells are then able to live longer and provide the body with protection.

(Rose in 2007. Photo Credit: The Global Fund)

(Rose in Rwanda 2009)

And the (RED)NIGHTS beat goes on…

(RED)NIGHTS is our concert series that saves lives and now Wolfmother, The All-American Rejects, Dashboard Confessional and more are turning their shows (RED). Here’s the line-up:

Built to Spill @ the Fillmore, San Francisco on October 31st (buy tickets)

Built to Spill @ the Fillmore, San Francisco on November 1st (buy tickets)

Wolfmother @ the House of Blues, Boston on November 7th (buy tickets)

A Fine Frenzy @ the Great American Music Hall, San Francisco on November 12th (buy tickets)

The All-American Rejects @ the Tabernacle, Atlanta on November 22nd (buy tickets)

Wolfmother @ the Wiltern, Los Angeles on November 24th (buy tickets)

Brett Dennen @ the House of Blues, Chicago on November 28th (buy tickets)

Brett Dennen @ the Wiltern Los Angeles on December 12th (buy tickets)

So now these artists join the ranks of past (RED)NIGHTS shows by Katy Perry, Matisyahu and Fall Out Boy – to name just a few. (RED)NIGHTS is a concert series that saves lives, and a portion of the proceeds from each night go to help eliminate AIDS in Africa.

U2 Live from the Rose Bowl!

U2’s LA Concert is being streamed live on YouTube this Sunday/Monday (depending on where you are in the world!).

Millions of fans in 16 countries, including the U.K., the U.S., Australia and India can join the show.

We can’t wait.

Mark your calendars and tune in at www.youtube.com/u2