(Red)emption (UPDATED)

Please stick with this one to the end… where there is a challenge waiting for you.

This is a post I’ve been chewing on for a few days now, and I really wasn’t sure if I’d end up writing it or not. On balance, I think I need to.

On Friday, as Sue packed for Bangkok, we watched Bono and Oprah launch the North American version of the Product (RED) campaign. We were both inspi(red) by the excitement, and moved to tears by the scenes from Africa. But as the show progressed and the feeding frenzy that was Oprah’s shopping trip continued, I started to feel a little sick.

I’ve come to the conclusion that I love this program. And I hate it. Let me try to explain why.

The love part is easy. I love it because it will provide funds for saving lives. What’s not to love about that?

Here’s the part with which I’m having trouble. I hate it because it’s a sad commentary, a mirror if you will, reflecting the reality of our culture back to us. The currency of the Kingdom is love. The currency of this material, self-centered culture is “stuff.” Bono is brilliant as he has realized this, and knows we will not give out of love. HIV/AIDS is killing people in numbers too horrible to give voice to. And while this troubles us, it apparently doesn’t trouble us enough to give out of love. The brilliance of Product (Red) is that it will get the money out of us anyway. No love? Fine, then we’ll appeal to your need for the other currency, for stuff. Want a new Gap shirt, and a trendy one at that? Great. Here you go, and by the way, a couple of bucks will go to life-saving drugs.

In short, I long for a world that operates on Kingdom currency. It’s coming… just not fast enough. In the meantime, I will grit my teeth, smile, and promote the Product (RED) campaign. Heck, I’ll probably end up wearing a red t-shirt. Hypocritical? Maybe. Paradoxical? Definitely.

Now for the challenge. Robert and I have been discussing for some time the need for us to start another campaign to raise some funds here at WorD.

We’ve been looking at the (RED) iPod specifically. When you spend $200 US on the iPod, Apple will contribute $10 to the Global Fund. (Robert has changed his mind about Christmas, BTW, so don’t bother emailing his wife.)

I don’t have a clue what the profit margins are like on the iPod, but $10 doesn’t strike me as a lot of money. Let’s be realistic. It’s not. Here’s the choice: You can lay out $200, get a new iPod, and contribute $10 to a good cause. Or, you can just contribute the $10. We believe we can get 1000 people to donate $10 each. We’d like $10 from everyone in the developed world, but we’ll settle for you, and everyone you know. And when we’re done, we’ll pass the money--all of it--along to the Stephen Lewis Foundation.

First, we need your $10. Just as importantly, we then need you to reach out to all your contacts. Post a link on your blog, send out an email to your friends, hang a banner from your window... whatever it takes. We'll keep you posted on how we're doing.

Together, we can do this. Help prove us right. Thank you.

UPDATE: (November 2008) 2 years later and this post still gets a lot of hits from people googling their way through the (Product RED )issue. For the sake of some closure for those of you just arriving, here's some (hopefully) interesting yet non-critical updates.

(Red)emption For Christmas! (December 5, 2006) This was kind of cool.

(Red)emption - Week 10 (December 29, 06) What we looked like

What a Day! (January 9, 2007) Just for the photo

Wrapping Up (Red)emption (January 12, 2007)

Comments

[joseph]

It is rather sad commentary that the generosity/consumerism thing sometimes gets rolled up into one. But I suppose you have to start where people are at, not necessarily where you would like them to be. Blessings on the project.

[Wes]

...late on a Thursday night...just checking in...pondering...being grateful for what I've experienced in this day that no $$$ can buy...thinking about the color red (which is what Colorado stands for)...remembering Jesus emptying himself of his red blood on our behalf...wondering why people wouldn't use their old (any color) iPod for another year or two and just give the whole $200 to your fund...of course, unless hearing red is more important that seeing the red project truly grow without getting anything in return. Sure...start where you are...indeed, Jesus did.......and so should we. Good night.

[nathan colquhoun]

TrackBack

http://nathancolquhoun.com/blog/index.php/2006/10/20/shopping_for_love

[anj]

You speak my mind Mike.

[Tim Bailey]

Good thoughts. Love can't flow from selfishness, can it?

If we carry the Spirit of God, and God is love, and the proof of that love is the sharing of our possessions with those in need, why was I standing in a dump watching children dig through it in their bare feet last week?

I think the Red campaign should be using products we need - like "red bread"...

[robert]

I just paid my $10. I am sure we know a measly 1000 good people. We appreciate your good wishes but we NEED your $10.
Please donate. It takes two minutes and it's only 10 bucks.

[Trevor Meier]

Put it out to my peeps... my $10 is in the jar.

[tamara]

These articles estimate the profit margins of the IPod Shuffle and Nano:
http://pcworld.com/article/id,119799-page,1/article.html
http://businessweek.com/technology/content/sep2005/tc20050921_4557.htm
I can't imagine that the margins have shifted much over the past year. I did catch a portion of a CNN broadcast where RED organizers discussed the donation amount for the products. They justified the percentage by emphasizing that this made the program sustainable from a business point of view. Vendors would more easily buy into the program if they felt they could continue to make a profit.

I agree though, that this all seems to feed into the growing self-gifting phenomenon.

[Jamie Arpin-Ricci]

Great post. From what I read, the RED t-shirts give the highest percentage. Further, several of those products are handmade in Africa, which means it is also creating some jobs. I am not surprised that so little goes from the iPod. Love your idea!

Peace,
Jamie

[Tim Bednar]

I think my photoshopped t-shirt might be the thing you need.

[Mike]

Tim - I love it. I'll give you $10 for it.

Better yet, you give me $10 for it!

Peace.

[jdwendellc]

Point taken, but I disagree on some level. I'm not sure how the Red Campaign doesn't belong in "a world that operates on Kingdom Currency." This campaign could be just the first step toward systemic change - which is exactly what we need to fight poverty, AIDS, etc. What if Red products became as pervasive as, say, fare trade products? Would you also advocate that we send money to poor coffee farmers instead of creating a system of commerce that fights the injustice? Building change into current markets is one way (possibly a very effective way) to address these issues. Making charitable donations out of love is no better than building a sustainable system of business charity out of love. Don't misunderstand what I'm saying here - I applaud your efforts to raise money for the Stephen Lewis Foundation through selfless charitable donations. I only question whether cynicism about the Red Campaign is the right attitude to have.

I support the Red Campaign out of love, not out of self-centered materialism. I support systemic change in the business community out of love. I think we should be doing more than just "gritting our teeth and smiling." We should embrace this important (yet small) step towards eradicating AIDS in Africa because it may turn out to be a step in the right direction.

[Stephen D Wareham]

In the same way that worship and prayer should be a way of life for the Christian, giving to others should be too. Allowing us to give to others through a "way of life" that we're all familiar with, shopping, is a revolutionary gift from God. As someone who has been to Africa on a missions trip this year, you can count me in.

[Dana Graffeo]

I agree with the last two comments. Bono wants to get those who don't normally give or are not normally concerned about these issues involved in the process. Those with a cynical attitude about charity or just to self-centered to care. By making Product(RED) the hip trendy thing to do he gets these peoples attention and once you have their attention you have a chance of reaching them and waking them up. This is Bono's greatest gift, communicating to those who don't really want to hear the message, who usually change the channel or tune it out. This is the beauty of the (RED) campaign and the really important thing to do is to acknowledge everyone you see wearing a (RED) product so they get rewarded for this behaviour. I'm not saying don't give directly if you can and want to but knocking (RED) or implying it is less noble just undermines the effort being made to bring those less likely to give into the fold. Just as judgementalism keeps those most in need of the church from coming to it. One of Bono's most interesting philosophies to me is the fact that when the band first started out he said that instead of approaching the music industry with and US or THEM attitude they held the attitude that there is only US. This inclusiveness won people over left and right and if you read their history got so many people working for them that they practically couldn't fail. I think Christians need more of an US and US attitude in dealing with the world rather than drawing lines between US and THEM. Lines are like fences, they keep people out and that is not what Chritianity is supposed to be about is it?

[Sarah Dylan Breuer]

Personally, what I find even more disturbing about the RED campaign is that they sell products from manufacturers such as Converse (itself a company under the Nike umbrella) who have spotty records at best in terms of how they treat their workers overseas. I'd buy a pair of environment-friendly Unswooshers from Blackspot shoes (http://adbusters.org/metas/corpo/blackspotshoes/) or a pair of sneakers from No Sweat Apparel (http://www.nosweatapparel.com/) and, if I wanted to support the goals of RED, give money directly to a good development organization -- especially since the Converse are not only significantly less environment-friendly and are not fair trade products, but are MUCH more expensive than most fair trade shoes!

[Anonymous]

Please read this blog posting from an Apple employee: http://simplycleaning.blogspot.com/2006/10/productred.html

[Mike]

Thanks for the link. Lots of money... that's the part I love.

Still, I want to look beyond getting in order to give. That's where we come in.

[J.Adams]

Hey Todd ... keep it up ... i sent you my $10 and told all my broke friends to do so also ... good thing for them is they can't afford the ipod, but can afford the $10 ... anyways, did you see the rejected ideas for this program?

5. Buy a Toyota Prius and we will give $4 to Aids Research.

4. Buy a 2 pair of Bono's Sunglasses and we will send one to you and the other to a person with aids in Africa

3. Get your eyebrows waxed with Oprah and they will donate $17 to Aids Research. (Weekly cost of Oprah's Eyebrow Wax = $50,000+)

2. For every 1 Billion dollars you donate to the war effort, we will give $7 (God's Holy Number) to Faith Based Initiatives programs and $.27 to Aids research.

1. Donate $10 to Aids Research and we will give you the DVD First Season of "Whitney and Bobby" for free!

[Dane]

Apple sold 42million iPods world wide (according to a stat. that's a few years old) so the potential donation is pretty big.

Another thot just hit me: Apple is donating $10/unit. That's 5% of the retail sales price. It's possible that $10 is about 10% of the manufacture's profit - give or take.

10%...? Doesn't that percentage sound familiar?

Anyways, I can't afford any iPods for a while so just giving the 10 bucks is a much more affordable idea. thanks.

Another zag thot: What if Zues wants us all to give $10 to fight aids. The corporate fat-cats use shiny sparklies to temp mateialists into giving while us wanna-be non-materialist give 10 bucks out contemp and protest. Sheesh...there's just no way to escape the will of Zues (just reading holmer)

[David]

Love the post and the critical comments. Keep talking, keep thinking.

[Spoke]

Kingdom Hearts directing ca$h. Beautiful. U2 is on my Boycott list along with McDonald's, Wal-Mart, Shell etc.

[Thomas E. Ward, Jr.]

It's a little late, but I'm in. By the way, great post, Mike.

[Amber]

Very well said! I've bought Product (RED) stuff and will continue to do so when I would have bought the stuff anyway. I LOVE this idea though and couldn't agree with what you've said more.

[CM]

mike posted on October 25, 2006
Tim - I love it. I'll give you $10 for it.
Better yet, you give me $10 for it!

robert posted on October 20, 2006
We NEED your $10.

Give mike and robert $10 or Stephen Lewis Foundation?
Sorry to be a skeptic but too many people are soliciting money on the internet and claiming to give it to charities. People should be responsible for their own generosity and not need to be talked into giving and people should only give to well known reputable charities.
Just direct people to the charity you would like them to give to, do not put a "Make a donation" link on your web page (like you are a charity) and then say to people..."We’d like $10 from everyone in the developed world...And when we’re done, we’ll pass the money--all of it--along to the Stephen Lewis Foundation." Don't pass the money on just let the people do that of their own free will!!!
Good works should be voluntary!
Good works should be joyful.
Good works should be motivated by genuine love.
Good actions are the fruit, not the root of salvation.
Good works should be inspired by a desire to glorify God. Motives are important because God looks at the heart. We cannot buy spiritual favors with God.
Giving does not make merit points with God.
GIVE – “Because it is what God wants to do through us” not what someone else wants us to do or not do!
If its God’s will (not Apple's or Oprah's or mike's or roberts's will) then follow through on giving!
Since God is the Creator and actually needs nothing from us, the reason to give has more to do with our relationship with God than with God's need for anything to be provided for His work.
The love of God, which stems from a deep appreciation of His nature and gratitude for His grace, stimulates one to give joyfully and sacrificially!
God is the standard and source of true goodness.
God desires a voluntary and joyous labor of love that issues from the heart.
God is pleased with faithful and faith-filled giving.
If mind and money are in support of spiritual things they would reap great spiritual benefits.
For those who close their ears and continue to receive help under false pretenses, another kind of "reward" awaits -- a fiery lake at the end of the road. (Revelations 20:15) God will Judge!
There is much said about the fact that good deeds will not bring salvation. Only the Lord, Jesus can save!!!

[Mike]

Thanks for the comment, CM:

A couple of quick thoughts:

1. You're right. If people are more comfortable giving directly to the Foundation, then go for it. We've said that many times (click on Payment Options up on the sidebar.) In the end you must be comfortable doing this. Then again, $10 isn't a lot to risk.

2. Lots of "shoulds" in your comment. You're right, of course, we should. So why don't we? We've received many emails from people thanking us for the prompting. If doing this helps motivate people to give, and more importantly to become more aware of HIV/AIDS, then I think it's worth it.

Thanks for dropping by. Peace.