In case anyone is for some reason interested in what has been the bane of my existence lately. I've decided to post one of my "project" proposals for grad school. I am working on studying the empathetic impact of Bono's (RED) Campaign. Thoughts welcomed. Although, they may be ignored for the sake of efficiency. Jk.
Ah. My head hurts from lack of caffeine this morning. Time to consume mass amounts of coffee. See below for My (RED) Idea.
The (RED) Campaign: What Image of Africa is it Constructing? How is this Image Contributing to Western Consumers’ Emotional Proximity to Africans?
Launched in 2006, Product (RED) is the brainchild of U2 front man Bono and its current president Bobby Shriver. Shriver and Bono created the brand as a way to raise money to fight AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis in Africa.
According to its website, “(RED) is an ingenious idea that unites our incredible collective power as consumers with our innate urge to help others. (RED) is where virtue meets desire” (www.joinred.com). (RED) partners with a variety of established brands to produce (RED)-branded products, such as Gap (RED) clothing, Apple’s (RED) iPod Nano and the (RED) American Express card. When consumers purchase a (RED)- branded product, the company behind the product donates a portion of the proceeds to The Global Fund. The Global Fund funnels all (RED) funds into programs working to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and malaria in Africa.
Like all successful brands, Product (RED) has created a distinct image for itself. Sensitive to the theory of “compassion fatigue,” Bono and his team developed a branding strategy for the (RED) campaign that rejected the use emotional images of suffering, starving Africans in exchange for images that portrayed a “sexy” Africa. “Africa is sexy and people need to know that," The New York Times quotes Bono as saying. "We've got to get better at telling the success stories of Africa in addition to the horror stories” (Brenjo, 2007). Product (RED) is therefore marketed with sleek, sophisticated designs, popular brands and beautiful, Western celebrities. Product (RED) focuses on “cool, sexy branding rather than on poverty, inequality and disease” (Richey, Ponte, 2007).
Despite its seemingly well intentions, Product (RED) has received a several criticisms, including criticisms surrounding the message and image of its campaign. Product (RED) has been accused of promoting status under the guise of compassion. Fears about the brand’s transparency have also been expressed. Critics point to the low transparency surrounding the actual creators and benefactors of the product, and that this “compassionate consumption” will redirect “attention from the causes of poverty, such as the inequities of systems of production and trade, by focusing on one of the outcomes, HIV/AIDS” (Richey, Ponte, 2007). Since Africans – and African celebrities – are virtually absent from all (RED) campaign images, some say (RED) is further “otherizing” Africans in the eyes of Western consumers. (RED) and similar campaigns are overrunning Western society with discourse and images of Africa. However, the African “people themselves are not allowed any meaningful space or voice” (Magubane, 2007). Consequently, (RED)’s “hard commerce sex appeal approach may engage individuals from previously untapped constituencies to finance The Global Fund’s work against HIV/AIDS, but, in doing so, it will perpetuate the disengagement of ‘needy’ recipients for us to become benefactors with bling” (Richey, Ponte, 2007).
In light of both criticisms and praise, I would like to study the influence of the (RED) campaign on the construction of empathy and emotional proximity in the minds of Western consumers. I believe that the (RED) campaign has succeeded in making generous contributions with innovative ideas. However, I believe it is important for campaigns to connect people as well as promote monetary flow, and would like to explore (RED)'s impact on empathy in efforts to discover ways in which money and lives can best be connected across the globe.
3 comments:
Here are some of my thoughts...not so much on your writing, but just on RED itself.
Is it an attempt to get consumers to feel better about consuming, and thus raise money? Or is it an attempt to tap into the never ending consumption that is there anyway, thus making money? Or is it both?
Also, as far as the criticism goes. I don't think it is a huge deal if the organizers make a little money off of it, as long as there is no false advertising. And I am sure they would welcome any black celebrities who want to volunteer their faces for the project. So if there is none, maybe the criticism should not fall on the organizers.
And finally, I get really tired of the people who criticize others for attempting to do good. If there were an easy solution to the larger problems Africa faces, then they would have been taken care of a long time ago. People are going to try things with altruistic goals and fail. Is it even a little bit ironic that journalists can make a living out of criticizing others for making some money? I guess one could argue no, but I say it is. Now I am criticizing people for criticizing others. Crap, now I am criticizing myself. Oh geez.
No I agree. I have read so many critiques from people about how they think this RED thing sucks and I'm like, you do something! Jeez. I would like a campaign to connect people though, which is what I'm looking at.
And I think the point of RED is to tap into the never ending consumption personally. Which is a great idea.
colleen -
my impression of the campaign is that they have been extremely more successful in making money for the campaign than for donating - that's based on a vague recollection of a possibly incorrect statistic. i think that would be important to know for sure - how much do they really give? because now it's hip to give money to aids research. especially if you get to wear a cool tee shirt proving you did. it's like environmentalism being trendy - green this, green that. and in a lot of cases the hipsters that buy a "zero emissions" condo care more about the label than the fact that the contractors bought out their more challenging carbon credit requirements and the building is nowhere near neutral.
is it worthwhile to make it popular to appear to be doing something good, if you really aren't? maybe. maybe it starts with that and accountability comes later.
..... also, of course this is too late for your paper :-) hope it turned out good!
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