The July issue of Vanity Fair magazine is hitting the racks soon, and I can’t wait to get my copy (or copies…). There are 20 different cover pictures for this issue which is devoted to topics related to Africa. Bono was the guest co-editor for the issue, which is remarkable as this is the first time in Vanity Fair’s history that a guest editor has been allowed to participate in the publication of an issue.

There was a nice piece on Nightline last night with Bono, and Vanity Fair’s editor, Graydon Carter. You can read the article here, and there is a video of the segment on the same page.

There is a great post on the Joinred.com blog with all of the details about the special issue, and some other hot RED news as well.

You can order single issues of the magazine with the cover/s you want from amazon.com. They are only 4.50 each, and there are some really great photos of some wonderful folks. There is a good one of Bono, a good one of Clooney, and two nice ones with Barack Obama!

And, of course, some percentage of the proceeds from the sales of the magazine, poster, and subscriptions will go to the Global Fund to fight Malaria, HIV/AIDS, and Tuberculosis in Africa.

In the last nine months, more than $20 million has been generated by (RED) partners, really by their customers, for the Global Fund. This is so, even though the full product line has been available only since October. And this $20 million is 4x more than the $5 million in private sector contributions that had been sent to the Fund in the prior 4 years. So (RED) is off to a good start. The launch of the full product range seems to have gotten through to customers in the US, UK, France and Japan. Brand awareness is now around 20 percent in major markets, which for a concept that was only announced a year ago is good. (RED) partners have produced iconic advertising and won awards for their campaigns. This is very good.

The big challenge we face is sustainability. Everywhere we go, people ask what our plans are for making this venture sustainable. Every time we answer continuing innovation in products, continuing innovative campaigns to inform people that the (RED) embrace means money for medicine in Africa and continuing innovation with new product partners and their integration into the (RED) marketing system. This is a very daunting task. We are depending on, and thankful for, our product partners and our customers.

Bobby Shriver
CEO

For even more detailed information about exactly how the funds generated by the (RED) campaign are being put to use there is a nice summary update on the joinred site as well. Below are some highlights from that document.

(RED) has delivered a total of $11,303,926 to the Global Fund thus far. Based on early conservative estimates, we believe that when holiday sales have been totaled, (RED) will have generated another $10 million for the Fund*. Two countries in Africa are the initial beneficiaries.

In Rwanda, (RED) money is supporting Global Fund-financed programs, which have already:

• reached over 168,000 mothers with counseling and services to prevent mother-to-child-transmission of HIV
• trained over 1,000 healthcare providers in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV
• reached over 325,000 people with voluntary counseling and testing for prevention of HIV
• trained almost 3,000 counselors to teach prevention of HIV
• provided anti-retroviral therapy for HIV/AIDS to almost 16,000 people including almost 3,600 infants and children
• set up 41 health centers to deliver anti-retroviral therapy for HIV/AIDS

In the next two to three years, these programs aim to more than double the number of women reached with prevention of mother-to-child transmission, and to expand the reach of antiretroviral therapy from half the population to the entire country.

In Swaziland, (RED) money is supporting Global Fund-financed programs, which have already:

• reached over 4,400 mothers with services to prevent mother-to-child-transmission of HIV
• trained over 150 midwives and doctors in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV
• equipped over 40 hospitals to provide services to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV
• reached over 140,000 people with voluntary counseling and testing for prevention of HIV
• trained over 70 counselors to teach prevention of HIV
• set up over 35 counseling and testing centers for prevention of HIV
• established feeding schemes in 335 schools
• built 154 community feeding centers
• provided education support for over 36,000 vulnerable children
• provided anti-retroviral therapy for HIV/AIDS to almost 15,000 patients
• trained over 3,000 health workers to deliver home-based care for patients with HIV/AIDS

Bottom line is – IT IS WORKING FOLKS!! Please keep buying red, and encouraging others to do so as well. Every dime makes a difference.

It’s really good to see these TV show hosts supporting (RED) and other organizations that are focused on providing support to Africans during this particularly critical time on their continent.

Thanks Rachael!

Send an e-card from HipsterCards.com. Created by (RED) friends, these cards add a little (RED) flavor to your holiday greetings, so you can show your loved ones that you’ve joined (RED).

I particularly like this one.

The Killers’ new Christmas single “A Great Big Sled” is available on iTunes now! Go to iTunes to buy the song for 99 cents, with 100% of the proceeds going to the Global Fund as part of (RED) to help eliminate AIDS in Africa.

And read this story from The Independent to find out why The Killers are having a (RED) Christmas.

And last, but not least, Apple is offering an iTunes (PRODUCT) RED gift card, with 10% of each card purchase going to the Global Fund. Of course, you can also get the iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED, available in 4GB and 8GB models.

Bono and Alicia Keyes sang a beautiful rendition of Peter Gabriel’s Don’t Give Up on the Oprah Winfrey Show yesterday (Alicia accompanied on the piano). You can purchase and download the song by going to the Keep a Child Alive web site, and linking to the Sony music site. (I had trouble getting the Sony site to accept my credit card – very frustrating – hope you don’t have the same experience.)

Bono and Bobby Shriver were on Larry King Live last night. It was good press for the RED Product launch.

Buy Red!