(Billboard) Tiesto will become the latest celebrity face of the (RED) campaign, teaming with the organization for a global event on World AIDS Day (Dec. 1, 2012) that will see the superstar DJ recruiting A-list house and EDM artists to raise awareness over the elimination and transmission of HIV from mothers to their babies by 2015.
"Having Tiesto engage his strong following to help (RED) deliver an AIDS-free generation is a dream true for us," (RED) CEO Deborah Dugan tells Billboard.biz. "This is just the kind of firepower we need to bring the world's attention to the fact that we can end AIDS; a notion that was considered virtually impossible a decade ago."
As part of the partnership, Tiesto will release a custom (RED) playlist later this month. He's no stranger to aligning with brands, having previously appeared in campaigns for the likes of Axe body spray, HP, Intel, Armani Exchange and Heineken. Earlier this year, he inked a deal with Guess for a limited-edition capsule collection for men and women as well as a handful of sponsored tour dates.
(RED) is also in the midst of its own renewed effort to reach music fans, having partnered with the Red Hot Foundation for the upcoming release of a "(RED) Hot + Fela compilation" and teaming with Crowdsurge for a 10-day online charity auction for concert tickets. It's also put a music focus to its latest marketing partnerships with the likes of Apple, Beats by Dre, Converse and others as the campaign seeks to align it self with all aspects of culture and music - and not always with an eye on retail.
"I wanted us to move slightly away from the limitations of 'you have to buy this to be (RED),'" (RED)'s Dugan told Billboard in May. "We're letting artists turn their music (RED). You could share a song and that could trigger a corporation to be (RED). You could be on a dancefloor with (RED) Converse or (RED) Beats by Dre headphones, and if somebody says, 'Oh you care about AIDS' and you have a good conversation about it, that's being (RED), too."
.png)
.png)
