AirAsia paints the skies (RED), featuring 88rising

AirAsia Group CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes (centre), (RED) CEO Deborah Dugan (centre left) and 88rising Founder and CEO Sean Miyashiro flanked by AirAsia cabin crew at the livery launch.

SEPANG, 12 November 2018 - AirAsia is proud to announce our partnership with (RED) in support of the Global Fund to fight AIDS in Asean.

The funds generated from the (AirAsia)RED partnership will go directly to the Global Fund to support HIV/AIDS programmes in Asean, home to nearly 1.8 million people living with HIV, according to 2017 UNAIDS data.

AirAsia has pledged proceeds from its current Free Seats promotion and various activities planned for 2019.

For every seat sold on airasia.com and the AirAsia mobile app during the 24-hour period from noon tomorrow until noon on Wednesday (GMT +8), AirAsia will donate 20 US cents, enough to buy one day’s worth of live-saving antiretroviral treatment for someone living with HIV.

In addition, AirAsia and (RED) will be collaborating with leading global Asian music label 88rising to launch a new Asean music and arts festival in 2019 to drive positivity and awareness of HIV/AIDS in the region. Dates, location and lineup will be announced at a later date.

The partnership was announced at the unveiling of a special (WEAREALLCHAMPIONS)RED livery at Sepang Aircraft Engineering (SAE) here today. Guests were treated to a live performance by Los Angeles-based rapper Dumbfoundead, an 88rising collaborator who performed at their recent Head in the Clouds festival in the US.

The event was attended by Malaysian Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, Malaysian Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, Malaysian AIDS Foundation (MAF) Malaysian Business Consortium on HIV/AIDS Manager Dr Rethish Raghu, MAF Advocacy Manager Dayana Omar, (RED) CEO Deborah Dugan, 88rising Founder and CEO Sean Miyashiro, AirAsia Group CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and AirAsia Group Head of Branding Rudy Khaw, among others.

(RED) CEO Deborah Dugan said, “We couldn't be more excited to partner with such a creative and innovative brand like AirAsia! Loved by millions and committed to making a real difference in Southeast Asia, the (AirAsia)RED partnership is literally taking the AIDS fight to new heights.”

88rising Founder and CEO Sean Miyashiro said, “88rising is absolutely over the moon with the idea of an amazing music and arts festival in Asean that empowers a young audience to save lives. All of 88rising will put all of our creative minds together to make this experience one of a kind, while creating massive awareness and engagement to a globally minded audience.”

AirAsia Group CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said, “AirAsia has always been about making the impossible possible. Today’s global partnership is all about championing new opportunities, both for those living with HIV/AIDS and in terms of bringing a broader message of positivity and change to Asean. And this is just the beginning. We have many more things planned with (RED), with support from 88rising, to supercharge outreach in the region, so watch this space.”

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About (RED)®

(RED) was founded in 2006 to engage businesses and people in the fight against AIDS. (RED) partners with the world's most iconic brands that contribute up to 50% of profits from (RED)-branded goods and services to the Global Fund. (RED) Proud Partners include: Apple, Bank of America, Beats by Dr. Dre, Belvedere, Claro, The Coca-Cola Company, MCM, NetJets, Salesforce, SAP, Starbucks, Supercell, Telcel, and Tradeshift. (RED) Special Edition partners include: aden+anais, Alessi, ALEX AND ANI, Fatboy USA, Fresh, FreshDirect, Girl Skateboards, Gretsch, HEAD, Jonathan Adler, Le Creuset, Live Nation Entertainment, Moleskine, Mophie, Square, Uber, and Wolfnoir. To date, (RED) has generated $350 million for the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, to support HIV/AIDS grants in Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zambia. 100 percent of that money goes to work on the ground – no overhead is taken. Global Fund grants that (RED) supports have impacted more than 70 million people with prevention, treatment, counseling, HIV testing and care services.

About 88rising

By now, if you’re in tune with the culture, you know about 88rising. Revered by the likes of CNN, Forbes, Bloomberg, The New Yorker, Billboard, Pitchfork and Los Angeles Times, 88rising is at the forefront of catapulting Asian culture and stories into new dimensions. Refusing to be confined within a single vessel, 88rising has exceptionally executed any and all ideas, while breaking new ground along the way. Best known as the team behind Internet-breaking sensations, including Joji, Rich Brian, Higher Brothers and Keith Ape, 88rising have quickly escalated to selling out world tours, hosting festivals and working with today's biggest stars. “88rising is distinguished by its idiosyncratic tone and its up-to-the-nanosecond appreciation of hip-hop’s youthful, Internet-driven trends,” The New Yorker said, in their 8-page long features on CEO Sean Miyashiro and the company. Furthermore, it’s highlighted that in just two years, “88rising has become an authority on how to create Asian and American pop-culture crossovers. With over 20M subscribers of their talent and nearly 700M views on their YouTube channel, 88rising's influence is undeniable.