Details And An Interview With (RED)WIRE Co-Founder Don MacKinnon
Today, World AIDS Day, also marks the launch of (RED)WIRE. For $5 a month, subscribers receive weekly delivery of a track each from major and developing artists plus other content including a short video about the impact (RED) generated funds in Africa. It's all delivered via a custom Adobe AIR player designed by IDEO and built by PassAlong Networks.
"Half of the 5$ fee goes directly to the Global Fund to purchase AIDS drugs in Africa," Don MacKinnon, President of (RED)WIRE told Hypebot. "The other 50% goes towards artist who are contributing the music - (RED) is creating a sustainable model for both artists and funds for AIDS drugs in Africa." (RED) is not a non-profit; but rather part of a growing group of businesses designed to "do well by doing good".
"Original, creative, exclusive content created by many of the worlds greatest artists is a signature of (RED)WIRE. We will also share non-exclusive content from spotlight artists," MacKinnon continued. "These songs are meant to introduce our members to artist we think they should know about." All tracks are DRM free and a diverse group of artists including U2, Bob Dylan, Coldplay, Jay Z, The Killers & Elton John, The Police & Elvis Costello, R.E.M., Death Cab for Cutie, and Keith Urban have signed on. Five memberships generate enough monthly to buy antiretroviral medicine for one person living with HIV.
MSN, iLike and W Hotels have all signed on as partners. MSN will serve as (RED)WIRE's online hub and is celebrating the launch...
with song and video debuts and interactive content at http://red.msn.com.
iLike will serve as the exclusive social-networking channel for (RED)WIRE. Content will be posted regularly on for streaming and sampling, and syndicated to iLike’s 30 million registered users via multiple channels including iLike’s dominant music app on Facebook and the iLike Sidebar for iTunes. W Hotels will be hosting live listening parties throughout their U.S. locations Monday night to kickoff for their ongoing support.
MacKinnon, founder of Hear Music and former Vice President of Music & Entertainment of Starbucks Coffee Company, conceived (RED)WIRE to help create a platform for music discovery and an annuity to buy medicine for Africans living with HIV. “Every week, when you receive this great music, you’ll know you are helping people in Africa get the medicine they need. It’s that simple,” states MacKinnon.
“Don MacKinnon just might be the penicillin the ailing music business needs. He is an innovator by nature and I have no doubt that some of the music software we are working on at (RED) will help change the way music is received and change the lives of Africans who will die without the AIDS drugs that (RED) can help provide,” said Bono, co-founder of (RED).
