Coca-Cola and (RED) launch app to combat HIV

Coca-Cola and AIDS charity initiative (RED) have launched a mobile game app designed to raise awareness and funds to help the effort to eradicate mother-to-child transmission of HIV by 2015.

Thred460
An image from the (THRED) app.

The (THRED) app will raise money for The Global Fund, which is the world’s leading financer of programmes to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

Players of the game will have the opportunity to purchase power-ups and other items inside the app, proceeds of which will be donated to the Global Fund.

The 3D “endless runner game”, created by BitMonster, also features an exclusive track from Dutch DJ Tiësto and allows users to compete with their friends by sharing their high scores. It is available on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch from iTunes or from Coca-Cola’s website.

Coca-Cola will also promote the game with a film for TV and digital in late December called “Making the Game for (RED)”, which will feature behind-the-scenes footage of the app’s development.

Wendy Clark, Coca-Cola’s senior vice president of integrated marketing communications, says: “We feel that (THRED) is a great way to capture attention and one that gives everyone the opportunity to contribute their time, money and networks to help end the transmission of HIV from mothers to their babies by 2015.”

Coca-Cola announced a year ago that it would lend its marketing weight to (RED), backing the initiative with a multi-year financial commitment of more than $5m (£3.2m).

In May this year (RED) overhauled its marketing strategy to communicate a more focused message through an expanded portfolio of experiential events in a bid to counter “fatigue and ambiguity” about global issues.

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