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"Buy a lipstick, make a difference"
The
Star (www.thestar.com.my)
(05/11/06)
Young HIV/AIDS patients at the Phyathai Babies’s Home Foundation in Bangkok.
In 2005, some 8.3 million people were living with
HIV in Asia – Source: UNAIDS (Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS)
IT’S not often that you get to make a difference by doing something as easy
as buying a lipstick, but with M.A.C’s VIVA GLAM, you can do just that.
VIVA GLAM, the product and the concept, was launched in 1994. The first
lipstick was a striking shade of red that was definitely not for
wallflowers!
The lipstick said, “Notice me!” It said, “I’m here to make a statement!”
Which was precisely the intention of M.A.C since VIVA GLAM, as a concept,
was meant to raise funds to support the fight against HIV/AIDS, as well as
raise consciousness about the disease.
Well, since that first red alert, VIVA GLAM has raised over US$70mil
(RM259mil) for the M.A.C AIDS Fund, which, in turn, supports over 700
HIV/AIDS organisations and services worldwide. Furthermore, this initiative
has helped to raise the profile of the deadly virus and the devastation it
brings.
Canadians Frank Toskan and Frank Angelo, co-founders of M.A.C (which, by the
way, stands for Makeup Art Cosmetics), were the ones who started the fund
and conceived VIVA GLAM as a means to support the fund as well as act as its
promotional tool.
This year, VIVA GLAM introduces its sixth colour, a warm terracotta plum
shade, as sexy, dynamic and distinctive as the five that came before it.
(The other five are the deep red released in 1994, pinked mauve in 1997,
brown plum in 2000, rose charged with gold in 2002 and neutral pink with
pearl lustre in 2004, which was released as both a lipstick and lipglass.)
As always, an exciting promotional campaign will support the launch of the
lipstick and the raising of more funds for the fight against AIDS.
VIVA GLAM has always been endorsed by the sort of celebrities who give the
public pause – stars who court controversy and seem to specialise in
appearing in tabloids under shock-horror headlines.
For instance, the very first VIVA GLAM spokesperson was drag star RuPaul,
while other endorsers include Sir Elton John, Boy George, Missy Elliott and
Pamela Anderson – none of whom you would describe as conventional or (heaven
forbid!) squeaky-clean!
The present batch of VIVA GLAM VI spokespeople comprises Debbie Harry, Dita
von Teese, Eve and Lisa Marie Presley.
“We want to rattle some cages. We want to grab peoples’ attention and not
let them turn away. And most importantly, we want to reach even more
people,” says John Demsey, global president of M.A.C Cosmetics and chairman
of the M.A.C AIDS Fund.
“Our VIVA GLAM VI spokespeople cut through the clutter. They are all
incredibly talented and have strong and distinct points of view and unique
perspectives on this crisis.
“As an ensemble, we believe these four talented women will powerfully raise
awareness for our VIVA GLAM lipsticks and tell the world what one VIVA GLAM
Lipstick can do for people affected by HIV/AIDS around the globe.” – Stories
compiled by DAPHNE LEE
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