Gap Inc.
February 6, 2007
SAN FRANCISCO − February 6, 2007 − Gap is proud to be teaming up with The Recording Academy® to unveil the first ever (RED) Room backstage at the 49th Annual GRAMMY®Awards on February 11, 2007. The transformation of the traditional Green Room into a (RED) Room is in honor of (PRODUCT) RED™, the groundbreaking initiative recently introduced by Bono and Bobby Shriver to help eliminate AIDS in Africa.
The Green Room is “the place to be” on awards nights to get a behind-the-scenes look at the fabulous cast of performers and presenters – and this year’s GRAMMY Awards will be no different. But what is different is for the first time in GRAMMY history the Green Room has been refashioned into a (RED) Room, complete with plush red couches, natural fiber fabric walls, stainless steel accents, custom made pillows emblazoned with inspirational (RED) words and Gap (PRODUCT) RED fashions. The (RED) Room is not only the place to be backstage, but it also communicates a greater meaning and purpose to everyone who will pass through its doors, because it encourages people to DO THE (RED) THING™ by getting involved in the fight against AIDS.
“Bono and I are thrilled that the first ever (RED) Room calls attention to the world’s worst healthcare crisis in history,” said Bobby Shriver, CEO and co-founder of (PRODUCT) RED. “Gap and all of the (PRODUCT) RED partners have made this fight their own. In the nine months we’ve been in business, (PRODUCT) RED partners have generated more than $20 million for the Global Fund, which buys the anti-retroviral medicine for HIV positive Africans. We wish they could be there with all the great artists to celebrate their music and new lease on life.”
"The music community is arguably one of the most socially conscious constituencies in the entertainment business," said Neil Portnow, President, The Recording Academy. "The Recording Academy has a strong foundation in philanthropic efforts and has a history of using the spotlight that is on Music's Biggest Night™ to broadcast important messages to the world. This is a terrific partnership with Gap and (PRODUCT) RED for an urgent and global initiative."
Throughout GRAMMY Week and during the 49th Annual GRAMMY Awards, some of the biggest names in the music industry will visit the (RED) Room. This is “the” room where performers such as Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé, Dixie Chicks, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Carrie Underwood, and many more will be warming up their voices as they prepare to take the stage. This is also where performers and recording professionals will learn more about and have the opportunity to embrace (PRODUCT) RED.
“We’re thrilled to be teaming up with The Recording Academy to help spread the word about Gap (PRODUCT) RED to the passionate and dedicated community of musicians and recording professionals attending this year’s GRAMMY Awards,” said Julie Alonso, Gap senior director of partnerships.
Eradicating AIDS in Africa is one of the most critical global crises we’re facing today. (RED) was created by Bono and Bobby Shriver to address this emergency head on by raising awareness and money for The Global Fund, one of the world's leading funders of programs to fight AIDS. As part of Gap’s global partnership with (PRODUCT) RED, half of the profits from sales of the Gap (PRODUCT) RED Collection go to The Global Fund to finance programs that help women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa.
(PRODUCT) RED provides a unique opportunity for consumers to help make a real difference in people’s lives. The Recording Academy has a long history in supporting cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs so it’s a natural fit for Gap to partner with The Recording Academy to help increase awareness about a human service initiative as important as (PRODUCT) RED.
For more information about Gap (PRODUCT) RED, please visit www.gapinc.com/red. Please check out JOINRED.COM for more information about (RED) and log onto www.grammy.com for more information on the GRAMMY Awards. Tune in to the 49th Annual GRAMMY Awards on Sunday, February 11 at 8 PM on CBS.
About Gap Inc.
Gap Inc. is a leading international specialty retailer offering clothing, accessories and personal care products for men, women, children and babies under the Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Forth & Towne and Piperlime brand names. Fiscal 2005 sales were $16.0 billion. Gap Inc. operates more than 3,100 stores in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Ireland and Japan. In addition, Gap Inc. is expanding its international presence with franchise agreements for Gap and Banana Republic in Asia and the Middle East. For more information, please visit gapinc.com.
About The Recording Academy
Established in 1957, the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc., also known as The Recording Academy, is an organization of musicians, producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards, The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human service programs – including the creation of the national public education campaign What’s The Download® ( WhatsTheDownload.com). For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com.
About (RED) and (PRODUCT) RED
(RED)’s primary objective is to engage the private sector in raising awareness and funds for the Global Fund to help fight AIDS in Africa. Companies whose products take on the (PRODUCT) RED mark contribute a significant percentage of the sales or portion of the profits from that product to the Global Fund to finance AIDS programs in Africa, with an emphasis on the health of women and children. Current partners are: American Express (U.K. only), Apple, Converse, Gap, Giorgio Armani, and Motorola. MySpace.com is the first media sponsor in the United Kingdom and MTV Networks is the first media sponsor in the US. WWW.JOINRED.COM
About The Global Fund
The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is a unique global public-private partnership dedicated to attracting and disbursing additional resources to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. This partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector and affected communities represents a new approach to international health financing. The Fund works in close collaboration with other bilateral and multilateral organizations to supplement existing efforts dealing with the three diseases. The Global Fund finances one fifth of all global efforts to stop AIDS and two thirds of global expenditure against tuberculosis and malaria.
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