Bono to receive inaugural Cannes Festival of Creativity LionHeart award for AIDS organisation (RED)

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Bono - PHOTOCREDIT ANDREW ZUCKERMAN.jpgThe Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is to honour Bono, the activist lead singer of Irish rock band U2, with the first ever Cannes LionHeart Award, for pioneering (RED), a creative fusion of branding, activism and philanthropy that has generated more than $250 million for the fight against AIDS in Africa.

The Cannes LionHeart recognises the person or organisation that, through innovative use of commercial brand power, has made a significant and positive difference to people or the planet. Bono will be presented with the inaugural Cannes LionHeart, an honorary award presented in exceptional instances, on Saturday evening, 21 June, during the final awards ceremony of the festival week.

Bono (pictured) co-founded (RED) with Bobby Shriver in 2006 to engage businesses and consumers to raise money and awareness in the fight against AIDS. 

(RED) partners with the world’s most iconic brands, which contribute up to 50% of profits from (RED) branded goods and services to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment services. (RED) Proud Partners include: Apple, Starbucks, The Coca-Cola Company, Bank of America, Beats by Dr. Dre, Belvedere, Claro, SAP, Telcel and Live Nation Entertainment. (RED) Special Edition partners include: Jonathan Adler, Theory, HEAD, Kidrobot, Mophie, FEED, Sir Richard’s Condom Company, Shazam, Square, Girl Skateboards, Nanda Home, Bottletop, Fatboy USA and Bed Bath & Beyond.

To date, (RED) has generated more than $250 million for the Global Fund to support HIV/AIDS grants in Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zambia. 100% of that money goes to work on the ground – no overhead is taken. The Global Fund grants that (RED) supports have impacted more than 40 million people with prevention, treatment, counselling, HIV testing and care services.

(RED) is a division of The ONE Campaign, a global advocacy organisation which campaigns for government leaders to support programs and policies that save lives and improve futures in the poorest parts of the world. Also cofounded by Bono, ONE is nonpartisan and has more than 4 million members around the world. Together, ONE and (RED) are stronger than the sum of their parts. By increasing awareness of the Global Fund and the AIDS emergency, (RED) also helps ONE and other advocates ensure continued government support for The Global Fund.

“Bono has used his celebrity status to successfully establish a global brand, through which he has built unique relationships with other such brands, to raise awareness and funds for the fight against AIDS and achieve greater good for humankind,” says Terry Savage, Chairman of Lions Festivals. “We are delighted and privileged that Bono will share his inspirational story with our Cannes Lions delegates and we look forward to presenting him with the first Cannes LionHeart in recognition of his achievements.”