During yesterday's Super Bowl broadcast, a new ad featuring rock group U2 announced that Bank of America would donate $1 to (Product) RED's fight against AIDS for every free iTunes download of the band's new single "Invisible" [Direct Link]. The promotion will be active until 11:59 PM EST on February 3.


Product (RED) was co-founded by U2 lead signer Bono and activist Bobby Shriver in 2006, with Apple raising more than $65 million for the charity since then through special products. Last year, one-of-a-kind products designed by Apple's senior vice president of design Jony Ive and designer Marc Newson were sold off at Sotheby's charity auction to benefit Product (RED), which raised over $13 million.

(Product) RED is also affiliated with several other companies in addition to Apple, including American Express, Nike, and Starbucks, raising more than $200 million to date.

Top Rated Comments

polterbyte Avatar
144 months ago
I'd prefer a free song from Katy Perry. Bono is a bit of a dick.
"A song from Katy Perry" is a contradiction of terms.

And if you can be a dick, as your post clearly shows, I believe Bono is entitled to be one too.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iSRS Avatar
144 months ago
I'd prefer a free song from Katy Perry. Bono is a bit of a dick.

First, I love U2. Have since "October"

I wouldn't call Bono a dick. Pompous? Certainly. But he certainly is passionate about helping people, putting his own money where his mouth is, too, as well as using his celebrity to raise money and awareness.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Digital Skunk Avatar
144 months ago
Done. Don't even really care for the music but it's a small thing to do that might help someone.

Same here. My wife loves the band so that will be two more.

----------

that.

but also, i think the whole "Red" thing is throwing money away, instead of putting it to good use. instead of using the money towards research to find a cure, they'd rather hand medicine to HIV women so they can get pregnant with some sort of ease-of-mind, that the baby's condition will be taken care of.

Yeah because everyone suffering from HIV thinks exactly like that. Or is this some sort of slight against the entire movement to help treat poor people in Africa instead of lining the pockets of Americans to help develop a cure that will most likely be out of the reach of folks suffering in Africa?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ck2875 Avatar
144 months ago
Yes, I know it's a commercial to create good will for the companies involved, and while it's a nice gesture, I find it a bit weird for them to spend $8 million for the 1 minute advertisement slot during the Super Bowl (not counting production costs), and then Bank of America only pledging to donate $1 per download, up to $2 million. I would have rather seen a 30 second slot for $4 million and BoA donating $6 million to charity.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dejo Avatar
144 months ago
...and then Bank of America only pledging to donate $1 per download, up to $2 million.

Actually, it's up to $8 million.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
albusseverus Avatar
144 months ago
First, I love U2. Have since "October"

I wouldn't call Bono a dick. Pompous? Certainly. But he certainly is passionate about helping people, putting his own money where his mouth is, too, as well as using his celebrity to raise money and awareness.

I don't know. The rock career is long over and this new gig raising money for needy pharmaceutical companies kind of creeps me out.

At one end you have people donating money, and at the other, really needy sick people and that sounds OK, until you think about the millions for big pharma in the middle.

Look around the www, researchers say it's almost impossible to find out where the money is going. 1% to the needy, >50% on salaries? RED is a business not a charity. It's more about awareness… Eww.

I know someone who went to school with him and I think the consensus was, he was always a bit of a dick. Just add money and fame.

I'm more than happy to 'take' the bank's money, but looking around, I get the uneasy feeling, I'm not making much of a difference.

It might be The Edge you were thinking of admiring.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

apple launch feb 2025 alt

Here Are the New Apple Products We're Still Expecting This Spring

Thursday February 20, 2025 5:06 am PST by
Now that Apple has announced its new more affordable iPhone 16e, our thoughts turn to what else we are expecting from the company this spring. There are three product categories that we are definitely expecting to get upgraded before spring has ended. Keep reading to learn what they are. If we're lucky, Apple might make a surprise announcement about a completely new product category. M4...
prioritize notifications ios 18 4

Everything New in iOS 18.4 Beta 1

Friday February 21, 2025 1:08 pm PST by
Apple finally released the first beta of iOS 18.4 to developers for testing purposes, and while the beta is lacking some of the Apple Intelligence features we were hoping for, there are some notable new additions. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Priority Notifications - Apple Intelligence There is a new Priority Notifications feature that can show you your most...
Apple iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Announces iPhone 16e With A18 Chip and Apple Intelligence, Pricing Starts at $599

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:02 am PST by
Apple today introduced the iPhone 16e, its newest entry-level smartphone. The device succeeds the third-generation iPhone SE, which has now been discontinued. The iPhone 16e features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, up from a 4.7-inch LCD on the iPhone SE. The display has a notch for Face ID, and this means that Apple no longer sells any iPhones with a Touch ID fingerprint button, marking the ...
ios 18 4 ambient music

iOS 18.4 Adds New Ambient Music Feature

Friday February 21, 2025 11:06 am PST by
In iOS 18.4, there's a new Ambient Music option that can be added to Control Center. There are four different sound categories, including Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing. Each category can be added to Control Center separately, and tapping one plays a random selection of sounds or music from that particular category. You can't choose what's playing from Control Center, but if...
iphone 17 pro asherdipps

iPhone 17 Pro Models Rumored to Feature Aluminum Frame Instead of Titanium Frame

Tuesday February 18, 2025 12:02 pm PST by
Over the years, Apple has switched from an aluminum frame to a stainless steel frame to a titanium frame for its highest-end iPhones. And now, it has been rumored that Apple will go back to using aluminum for three out of four iPhone 17 models. In an investor note with research firm GF Securities, obtained by MacRumors this week, Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu said the iPhone 17, iPhone...
iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Denies Speculation Surrounding iPhone 16e's Lack of MagSafe

Friday February 21, 2025 8:01 am PST by
Apple has confirmed that its custom-designed C1 modem in the iPhone 16e has nothing to do with the device's lack of MagSafe support, according to Macworld. Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, there was some speculation online about how MagSafe magnets might have interfered with the C1 modem's cellular connectivity performance, and this was considered to be a potential reason for the...
Generic iOS 18

Here's When Apple Will Release iOS 18.4

Wednesday February 19, 2025 11:38 am PST by
Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, Apple updated its iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia pages to give a narrower timeline on when the next updates are set to launch. All three pages now state that new Apple Intelligence features and languages will launch in early April, an update from the more broader April timeframe that Apple provided before. The next major point updates will be iOS ...
oppo find n5 fingers

World's Thinnest Foldable Phone Launches in Europe and Asia

Thursday February 20, 2025 8:55 am PST by
Oppo has launched the Find N5, the world's thinnest foldable phone yet. When closed, the book-style foldable measures 8.93mm. That's less than a millimeter thicker than an iPhone 16 Pro, and thinner than the Honor Magic V3, which was the previous record holder. The device is barely thicker than its USB-C port. Indeed, Oppo has suggested that the obstacle to making it any thinner is now "the...