During yesterday's Super Bowl broadcast, a new ad featuring rock group U2 announced that Bank of America would donate $1 to (Product) RED's fight against AIDS for every free iTunes download of the band's new single "Invisible" [Direct Link]. The promotion will be active until 11:59 PM EST on February 3.


Product (RED) was co-founded by U2 lead signer Bono and activist Bobby Shriver in 2006, with Apple raising more than $65 million for the charity since then through special products. Last year, one-of-a-kind products designed by Apple's senior vice president of design Jony Ive and designer Marc Newson were sold off at Sotheby's charity auction to benefit Product (RED), which raised over $13 million.

(Product) RED is also affiliated with several other companies in addition to Apple, including American Express, Nike, and Starbucks, raising more than $200 million to date.

Top Rated Comments

polterbyte Avatar
152 months ago
I'd prefer a free song from Katy Perry. Bono is a bit of a dick.
"A song from Katy Perry" is a contradiction of terms.

And if you can be a dick, as your post clearly shows, I believe Bono is entitled to be one too.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iSRS Avatar
152 months ago
I'd prefer a free song from Katy Perry. Bono is a bit of a dick.

First, I love U2. Have since "October"

I wouldn't call Bono a dick. Pompous? Certainly. But he certainly is passionate about helping people, putting his own money where his mouth is, too, as well as using his celebrity to raise money and awareness.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Digital Skunk Avatar
152 months ago
Done. Don't even really care for the music but it's a small thing to do that might help someone.

Same here. My wife loves the band so that will be two more.

----------

that.

but also, i think the whole "Red" thing is throwing money away, instead of putting it to good use. instead of using the money towards research to find a cure, they'd rather hand medicine to HIV women so they can get pregnant with some sort of ease-of-mind, that the baby's condition will be taken care of.

Yeah because everyone suffering from HIV thinks exactly like that. Or is this some sort of slight against the entire movement to help treat poor people in Africa instead of lining the pockets of Americans to help develop a cure that will most likely be out of the reach of folks suffering in Africa?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ck2875 Avatar
152 months ago
Yes, I know it's a commercial to create good will for the companies involved, and while it's a nice gesture, I find it a bit weird for them to spend $8 million for the 1 minute advertisement slot during the Super Bowl (not counting production costs), and then Bank of America only pledging to donate $1 per download, up to $2 million. I would have rather seen a 30 second slot for $4 million and BoA donating $6 million to charity.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dejo Avatar
152 months ago
...and then Bank of America only pledging to donate $1 per download, up to $2 million.

Actually, it's up to $8 million.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
albusseverus Avatar
152 months ago
First, I love U2. Have since "October"

I wouldn't call Bono a dick. Pompous? Certainly. But he certainly is passionate about helping people, putting his own money where his mouth is, too, as well as using his celebrity to raise money and awareness.

I don't know. The rock career is long over and this new gig raising money for needy pharmaceutical companies kind of creeps me out.

At one end you have people donating money, and at the other, really needy sick people and that sounds OK, until you think about the millions for big pharma in the middle.

Look around the www, researchers say it's almost impossible to find out where the money is going. 1% to the needy, >50% on salaries? RED is a business not a charity. It's more about awareness… Eww.

I know someone who went to school with him and I think the consensus was, he was always a bit of a dick. Just add money and fame.

I'm more than happy to 'take' the bank's money, but looking around, I get the uneasy feeling, I'm not making much of a difference.

It might be The Edge you were thinking of admiring.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 26 Feature

iOS 26.1 to iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Wednesday October 1, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
iOS 26 was released last month, but the software train never stops, and iOS 26.1 beta testing is already underway. So far, iOS 26.1 makes both Apple Intelligence and Live Translation on compatible AirPods available in additional languages, and it includes some other minor changes across Apple Music, Calendar, Photos, and Safari. More features and changes will follow in future versions,...
iPhone 17 vs Air and Pros Feature

New iPhones See 'Stronger Than Expected' Demand With One Exception

Thursday October 2, 2025 7:26 am PDT by
Nearly two weeks after the iPhone 17 series launched, analysts at investment banking firm Morgan Stanley said demand for the devices has been "modestly stronger than we originally expected," based on a combination of extended shipping estimates on Apple's online store and information it gathered from Apple's supply chain. There has been strong early demand for the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro,...
space black mbp

Here's Every New Apple Product That Leaked Yesterday

Wednesday October 1, 2025 8:27 am PDT by
A handful of upcoming Apple products leaked yesterday, through a combination of YouTube videos out of Russia and U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) documents that were released, despite Apple's confidentiality requests. The leaked products include an iPad Pro with an M5 chip, as well as updated MacBook Pro and Apple Vision Pro models. All of these devices had already been rumored...
Apple 2025 Thumb 1

Apple's 2025 Product Roadmap: What's Still Coming

Wednesday October 1, 2025 3:56 pm PDT by
Apple's two big yearly events, WWDC and the iPhone launch, are done and over with, but there are still some new products that we're expecting to see before the end of the year. Apple TV The Apple TV hasn't been updated since 2022, so it's due for a refresh. It doesn't look like Apple is going to change the design of its set-top box, but we can expect a faster chip Apple code suggests...
macbook air prime day 2025

M5 MacBook Air: Release Date, Features, and Performance Predictions

Friday October 3, 2025 3:39 am PDT by
The MacBook Air is Apple's most popular laptop – a thin, fanless machine that wields quiet power thanks to the efficiency of Apple silicon. While the M4 model isn't exactly old, attention is already turning to its successor. Apple doesn't telegraph new product launches ahead of time, but we can draw a surprisingly clear picture of what to expect by looking at Apple's silicon roadmap,...
Tim Cook Rainbow

Apple Event in October? Here's What to Expect

Monday September 29, 2025 9:31 am PDT by
Apple's annual iPhone event is in the rearview mirror, but rumors suggest the company plans to release a handful of additional products before the year ends. Will there be another Apple event this October? We discuss the possibility below. Apple in October Apple's most recent October events were in 2021 and 2023. In 2022 and 2024, Apple did not host an October event. Instead, it...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro teal 1

Apple's iPhone Driver's License Feature Now Available in 11 U.S. States

Tuesday September 30, 2025 6:40 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Apple recently revealed that the feature would soon be available in North Dakota, and starting today, the feature has officially gone...
iPhone 17e Feature 1

iPhone 17e: All the Rumors So Far

Thursday October 2, 2025 4:55 am PDT by
Earlier this year, Apple released the $599 iPhone 16e – a budget-friendly late addition to its iPhone 16 series and a replacement for its long-running entry-level iPhone SE line. Given the iPhone 17 lineup has now launched, can we expect an iPhone 17e anytime soon? If you're holding out for a more affordable device with the 17 moniker attached, here's everything we know so far about the...
iOS 26 Everything New Feature

26 Hidden iOS 26 Tricks to Change How You Use Your iPhone

Wednesday October 1, 2025 9:16 am PDT by
Apple released iOS 26 in mid-September, bringing a range of new features and changes to iPhones across the globe. But not all of the included improvements have been showcased with Apple's typical fanfare, and many are likely to have been overlooked. Below, we've highlighted 26 lesser known additions and enhancements that could potentially change how you use your iPhone on a daily basis. Got...