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The Global Energies are 10 broad trend themes shaping the lives of consumers around the world. They are designed to be an all encompassing framework that provides structure to both capture and explore the many ways in which consumer and brand behavior is changing; they provide a key to understanding the complexity and diversity of what is happening in the world today. They are the ‘here’ and ‘now’, plus a window into the shorter-term future of the mainstream. Each Global Energy is explained through a number of different expression areas: expressions or ‘sub-trends’ are a dimension of the trend that present a unique angle or twist within the broader trend theme, giving insight into the different ways consumers respond to the broader forces of change in their lives.
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About Global Energies
The Global Energies have been identified through an understanding of the macro forces shaping the lives of consumers around the world, such as social, technological, economic, environmental and political factors (top down), and from an understanding of on-the-ground consumer and brand behavior that occurs in response to these drivers (bottom up). Each trend has been validated through empirical evidence from a range of sources, including our Global MONITOR study: a quantitative study of 31,000 people covering 18 markets and 80% of global GDP and an on-the-ground view built up through observations from our Headlightvision Global Streetscapes network: independent, discerning, culturally connected individuals who are spread throughout 46 cities in every continent of the world.
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Stop-Go Lives The temptations and demands of modern society mean that people are living increasingly fast, full and flexible lives As the structure of our day becomes ever more fragmented and our expectation of what we can get done continues to rise, we live increasingly Stop-Go Lives. Service industries have started to dominate the economy and working days are stretched to the full, while new ways of working offer greater flexibility over how, when and where we work. Rapidly growing urban populations are exposing more people to the possibility of 24/7 lifestyles. And technology has also increased our ability to access all the opportunities the world has to offer wherever and whenever we happen to be.
Expressions:
Time Returned Doing tasks more quickly or outsourcing them to save time
Search For Simplicity Solutions that make life easier and reduce complexity
Navigating the Day Transitioning between different times, tasks, and spaces during the day
In Arms’ Reach Getting convenient access to the day’s essentials or carrying what you need with you
Energy Management Finding the right physical and mental energy for the moment
Time Out Escaping the pressures of the day for a moment as a release or a reward
Lexus provides in-car concierge service in Japan.
The Turbo Chef Oven, developed in the US, uses airspeed technology to cook food 15 times faster than a conventional oven.
FlyLite in the UK not only picks up and delivers a member’s bag to the travel destination , but also packs it, dry cleans the contents and keeps everything in storage until the customer’s next flight.
Wine That Loves from the US claims to take s the guesswork out of food and wine pairing, and each wine is specifically suited to one dish.
iPhone, Blackberry and other mobile phone devices have integrated GPS capabilities to allow consumers to navigate and travel with greater ease.
A new cream in China colours legs to give the impression of wearing tights, for use when emergency respectability is required.
Sneakers in a vending machine on Carnaby Street in London. The machine can sell 24 pairs of shoes before refill in 6 sizes.
Soup from the US that you heat and take with you.
MetroNap napping pods designed for a 20 min power nap in New York.
Japanese brand Replus has an On variant that refreshes and clears the head with its mint flavor, while Off contains bergamot to help relaxation and wind down.
Offering an urban sanctuary all around the world.
Spa treatment at Grand Central station in New York.
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Evolving Identities Evolving beyond traditional stereotypes, roles and behaviours to explore different ways to express identity All around the world societal values continue to change. Populations are ageing, more women are working and family structures are loosening.
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Many people no longer feel constrained to conform to the traditional stereotypes of age, gender, religion and race. Instead they are interpreting their identity freely to suit their needs, the life path they choose and the moment they are in. And with the advent of the digital age, people have even greater freedom to explore and play with their identity.
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Re-Gendering Changing gender roles and playing with the boundaries of gender identity
Age Play New perceptions of and relationships with age
Cultural Curiosity The influences of new cultures on identity
Religion Reinvented Subscribing to multiple, sometimes even contradictory lifestyles and religious beliefs
Me and Digital Me Increasing influence of virtual identities and blurring with our real identity
This Russian chocolate bar “For men” ironically plays against new gender fluidities.
A Woman’s Touch is a building company run and staffed entirely by female builders and tradespeople in the UK.
The Nintendo Wii gaming remote is designed ‘to make gaming as accessible to people of all ages and all abilities’, and has achieved global success.
This Brazilian advert for Daslu clothing shows a teen dressing older as an executive business women.
The burkini is a two-piece burka-like outfit, which provides appropriate coverage for Muslims, allowing UK schoolgirls to participate in mainstream school culture through swimming lessons.
In 2007 Nike developed a shoe specifically for Native Americans, a variant on their Nike Air with a different fit and arrowhead designs.
In the 2001 British census, ‘Jedi’ was the fourth most reported religious group. In Texas a Jedi church has been set up, a fusion of many different religious principles.
The mixture of governmental secularism and strong Islamic sentiments have created a hybrid culture in Turkey. Some women will cover their hair but not their shoulders for example, and there is a general melding of Islamic and ‘Western’ codes of conduct.
Shinsegae Department Stores in South Korea is planning a system that measures customers in person and creates a virtual model so they can see what clothes they browse online will look like on. All clothes can then be uploaded directly onto avatars.
In China a new travel package has been launched themed around the popular internet game Tianlong Babu, expanding the virtual world into real life.
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New Community Connections Ways of re-connecting and building a sense of belonging in an increasingly fragmented society In many modern societies, new work styles and changes in the geographic dispersal of people have fuelled a fragmentation of society and a rise in individualisation and disconnection. This leads people to seek new ways to fulfil the fundamental needs of connection and community. The digital age has allowed individuals to create, find, and join a wide array of communities or social groups not bound by time or space. People are finding new ways of reaching out to others, sometimes to build their social status. In both the virtual and real worlds, bonds are created around shared values, interests, and pastimes.
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Tribal Networks Making virtual and real connections with likeminded individuals and groups
Creative Connections Coming together to share knowledge and create content
My Life Uncovered Reaching out by laying bare intimate details of our life for others to see
Fleeting Connections Making real connections for fun and just to share a moment
3rd Spaces Rise in 3rd spaces where we connect or feel we belong
Local Links Connecting and identifying with local communities and new forms of family
Laughter Clubs sprouting in India are non-religious, non-political, non-profit associations where all are welcome to get together and laugh, improving wellbeing and connections in the community.
An estimated 300,000 women in South Korea now engage in ’wifelogging’ every day, that is sharing tips on household tasks and childrearing with other webhooked wives.
Wikipedia has been a runaway success, with over 10 million articles as of April 2008, produced by a range of contributors from across the world.
The Lego Factory allows people to design a model online, share it with other fanatics and order the bricks to make it real.
In Mexico Hi5 is a particularly popular way for young people to share what they’re up to with each other through photos and personal descriptions.
In China the website Babytree lets parents to record their babies’ growingup process, through photos and written content and share tips.
Flash mob parties in the Netherlands organised by Chivas Regal.
4,000 clubbers danced through the rush hour at London’s Victoria station.
Brewhaha is an Indian coffee shop which encourages people to come together over their 75 board games.
This language school in Mexico offers conversation clubs where people can get together and practice their new languages with people striving for the same.
Ikea in the US have launched an advertising campaign asking “Why shouldn’t sofas come in flavors, just like families?”, tapping into the new wider range of family forms, whether inter-ethnic or same-sex.
LoveLewisham.org in the UK is a site which lets people engage with their local area by sending in pictures of problems they feel the council needs to address.
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Pushing the boundaries of experience to live each day to the fullest Rising affluence and falling real prices have enabled people across the globe to purchase all the material goods they want. And as material needs have increasingly become fulfilled, people’s attention has shifted to experiences that help them feel alive.
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Seeking Experiences
Even as finances tighten, experiences still remain a way to inject stimulation, excitement and risk back into people’s lives. Experiences can provide an antidote to the pressured and, at times, mundane nature of modern living.
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New Sensations Desires for intensified sensory experiences
LG’s new white chocolate phone, available in Korea emits a lavender scent when its keypad is used.
This Singaporean drink appeals to a sense of curiosity - customers don’t know which flavour they will get.
Quest for Adventure
Virgin has now opened booking for holidays in space.
People seeking the ‘real experience’ can take favela tours in Rio de Janeiro.
Pornography is becoming increasingly mainstream, accounting for 25% of 2007 internet searches. Jenna Jameson the porn actress has also been used by Addidas in a video blog.
Daspu is a new brand growing in the Rio fashion scene, all of its clothes designed and produced by Brazilian prostitutes.
The “Happy Wedding” service in Japan lets women have a wedding experience with no husband required.
Miss Bimbo is a British site aimed at designing the coolest bimbo in the world, appealing mainly to 9-16 year old girls looking to explore the grown up world.
Online poker now gives risk seekers an easy daily fix.
Wii Fit – a game that makes exercise more enjoyable – has become a sell-out since its 2008 worldwide release .
The pursuit of risk, adventure and adrenaline
Breaking Taboos Walking on the wild side and courting controversy
Fantasy Worlds Exploring virtual and fantasy worlds
Play and Novelty Growing importance of play and novelty in daily life
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Quest for Success The thirst for self-improvement and strategies for achieving it The rise of individualism has created a culture in which people are increasingly focusing on themselves. Personal development and self-improvement are on the agenda for many people within various aspects of their lives. People are taking measures to give them a sense of fulfilment or raise their standing in the world. Inner-directed actions include the development of knowledge and the desire for personal growth while more outer directed goals include fame, kudos and admiration.
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Celebrity Profile Aspirations to fame and notoriety
Expert Status The importance of knowledge and discernment for identity and status
Peak Performance Improving and stretching mental and physical capabilities beyond the norms
Image Redefined Enhancing and reinventing image and appearance
Inner Belief The search for personal growth and confidence
Kurkure, an Indian snack food, ran a promotion inviting people to send in recipes using Kurkure. The prize was having your family photo and the recipe on millions of Kurkure packs.
In Goster Kendini, a Turkish TV show, a camera is set up in the middle of Takshim square and anyone can come and perform in front of it for a chance for their clip to be shown on TV.
L’École du Thé in Paris offers training for would be teaaficionados and has plans to expand to the US and Japan in 2008. Le Palais des Thés, a gourmet tea shop offering
A ‘gastrotour’ around London’s borough market by a TV chef happens every week to lead people to the best produce.
Students in the US are increasingly using drugs such as adderall, prescribed for attention deficit disorder, to help improve their performance in exams.
Skins are ground breaking body-moulded gradient compression performance equipment with built-in BioAcceleration Technology™ which enhances your performance in training, competition and recovery and gives an edge over your competition.
Smoothmed, in central New York, offers lunchtime Botox injections with no appointments, reflecting of the huge demand.
HP, the US firm, have invented a new camera feature which makes people look thinner in photos.
Over 8 million people worldwide have now attended an Alpha course – a ten week relaxed exploration of the Christian faith.
The Art of Living Foundation has programs on yoga, meditation and stress elimination, revolving around spiritual welfare. Hugely popular in India it also offers ring tones and video clips through mobiles.
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Professional Consumers Ever more empowered consumers are becoming increasingly demanding and sophisticated in their consumption patterns
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As markets become more competitive and consumer spending power increases, the balance of power is shifting from supply to demand, giving consumers the upper hand.
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Media preoccupation with celebrities and aspirational lifestyles has helped fuel new consumption desires. Meanwhile the internet has facilitated self-education and access to information, so consumers are now able to apply an increasingly informed outlook to market place choices. For many of us, the pursuit of attributes such as value, luxury and exclusivity have become almost daily obsessions.
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Value Seeking Deepening desire for value and the creation of new value models
Everyday Premium The mainstreaming of top end and luxury goods
Conspicuous Consumption The demand for super luxury goods where high price helps drive levels of desire and use for social standing
VIP Access In search of the rare and exclusive
Just right for me The shaping of products and services to meet individual needs
Counseled Consumption The rise of specialist advisors and peer reviews for all consumption matters
Increasingly people are exploring shared ownership of products, from houses to handbags, through sites like FractionalLife.com, which runs in the UK and US.
Chinese middle-class shoppers now arrange online through sites such as 51tuangou to go shopping en masse to negotiate lower prices.
WC1, a new luxury restroom, has opened on London’s busiest shopping street which charges for use and also offers quick makeovers and massages.
Following the global success of the limited edition Gold Dolce & Gabbana Motorola Razr V3i in 2004, many designers such as Armani and Prada offer a mainstream version of their luxury image.
Nokia has recently released the Nokia N95 in Italy. This mobile phone comes encrusted with 335 diamonds costs €17,173 (US$24,600).
Mexicans are increasingly seeking luxury experiences, and premium alcohols such as Don Julio super premium tequila are affordable treats that people can purchase to showcase their luxurious lifestyles.
Chrome Hearts, a French clothing and homeware brand, cultivates exclusivity by making their products available in less then 10 stores in the world, winning success amongst celebrities especially.
Quintessentially is a global private members’ club and luxury concierge service which calls itself the “passport to the very best that life has to offer”.
Mymuesli, German in origin but expanding across Europe, lets customers choose their own preferred mixture of muesli which is then delivered.
The Left Foot company in Finland scans customer’s feet so they can make a perfectly fitting shoe.
The Argentinian El Portillo wine brand now offers a service where customers text in with the type of meal they plan and are advised on the appropriate wine.
Scanning barcodes of products into this Japanese in-store terminal brings up consumer advice from cosme, a website offering reviews of cosmetics and skin-care products.
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Living with Risk Taking steps to manage life’s risks and uncertainties, safeguarding the assets and people you value The authorities people traditionally turned to for guidance and protection are seen to be struggling with the threats of the modern world. Media and information fuel a belief that things are increasingly unsafe and out of control. With a heightened sense of risk people are seeking new ways to negate, reduce or monitor risk in everyday life: closing the world out, finding defences against attack and more closely monitoring the assets and people they value
Expressions:
Protective Shields Taking steps to protect yourself and your family from harm
Safeguarding Identity Finding ways to protect personal information and identity
Keeping Track Monitoring and checking up on the people and assets we value
Scrutiny Culture Avoiding bad choices and ensuring others act honestly
Gated communities, already popular in the West are on the rise in India. Prakruthi Nivas is one such new development.
Essex-based British firm BladeRunner has started to produce stab-proof hoodies and school uniforms in the wake of recent fears about knife crime.
About the size of a clock radio and no more forbidding to operate, Babble is a voice privacy device in the US that makes it possible for people to have confidential telephone conversations in their cubicles by multiplying and randomizing audio.
This new gadget from Japan is designed to render personal details on bills illegible so they can be thrown away without fear of fraud.
The iPot, a Japanese kettle, helps relatives keep an eye on older family members who live alone. It alerts relatives if it isn’t used at the normal time, suggesting something has gone wrong.
i-Kids mobile phones, new in Turkey, have inbuilt GPS technology so parents can keep track of their children any time of the day. They also let the kids call one of four approved numbers.
In the UK there have been growing pressures on Members of Parliament to reveal their expenses to reassure taxpayers they are not being exploited through excessive spending.
Websites like Zoopla, streeteasy.co.uk UoMyStreet.com are increaingly being used by consumers in the US and UK to check out statistics on neighborhood schools, crime rates, safety etc, as well as house prices before moving house
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Navigating Wellbeing Navigating all the options to finding the best solutions to health and wellbeing for you and your family In developed nations, national health services continue to struggle with rising demand; the cost and responsibility for health care is shifting toward the individual. In the developing world, the growth in urban living is impacting on traditional approaches to managing wellbeing.
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Whilst in both instances the individual is increasingly required to take control, people are presented with a maze of options and an influx of information (and disinformation). Globalization makes alternative solutions more widely accessible and advances in science continue to present more solutions for all. The emphasis is also shifting from curative to preventative approaches. So people increasingly need help navigating the multiple choices and working out the best thing to do.
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Holistic Balance Looking for balance in nutrition, diet and lifestyle
Returning to Nature Seeking reassurance in mother nature
Sick Society Using or excluding products in a response to modern day illnesses
Proactive Prevention Defending the body against future illness and disease
Debit-Credit Living Doing good to make up for the bad
Image Management Managing weight and appearance
Brain Agility Keeping the brain strong and healthy
The Optimism Club in Mexico City focuses on the need to be mentally healthy and happy to achieve balance in life.
Building on the worldwide growth of yoga as a way to inner peace, Rescue Remedy, the internationally successful all natural stress relief formula, uses the tagline ‘yoga in a bottle’.
This is India’s first organic food store chain. ‘Sresta’ translated means ‘the best’.
This new advertising campaign in Russia for Tic-tacs aims to reassure consumers that the product is 100% natural.
The Volvo S80, a Swedish car, is marketed as a ”haven from pollution, pollen and allergens”, its interior is made of materials which do not collect dust and hence allergens.
Arelsmooth, a new Japanese soft drink, contains malt lactic acid bacterium and hop flavanol HF31, said to help the immune system against pollen.
This Turkish yoghurt drink by Pinar contains both probiotics and prebiotic fiber to enhance immunity and improve the body’s resistance against illnesses.
In Japan interest in ’black foods’ such as black sesame and black beans is swiftly growing as these are seen as enriching superfoods, particularly appealing to the middle aged.
This US line of skincare contain peptides specially formulated to protect the skin from the harmful, aging effects of smoking.
Tenteki is a clinic in Japan that offers 10 minute intravenous treatements for many conditions, including quick fix cures for hangover and sluggishness.
Campina Control, recently launched in Russia after other European successes, contains natural plant extracts which make people feel full so they eat less at their next meal.
These Japanese marshmallows contain collagen to reduce the signs of ageing.
Recently Omega-3 has been praised as a essential fat helping brain function and concentration, stimulating a range of UK products to add Omega-3.
The US and UK markets have also been flooded with new ranges of brain supplements.
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Embracing the Authentic
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The rising desire for the real and authentic within an increasingly artificial, commercial, and fast-changing world In a reaction against the fast pace of life, overt commercialisation and massproduction that can be seen to characterize many modern societies, people are increasingly going back to the basics to find a point of comfort and continuity in their lives. People are growing more interested in more traditional products and services and are looking for genuine stories about people and places as assurances of quality and safety that they can trust. Provenance, history and heritage are in the spotlight. The homemade has also become aspirational as people look to be involved in creating things from scratch.
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Celebrating Tradition Resurgence of respect for tradition and heritage as anchor points in life
Passion for Place Growing interest in where things come from and a desire to find the best the world has to offer
Human Face Rising interest in the people and artisan skills behind products and services
Made by Me New interest in and ways to produce your own
Behind the Scenes Transparency as a mark of quality and trust
Reinventing Classics Bringing modern production standards to old classics
Jack Daniels emphasise how they use traditional methods of production, helping fuel their global expansion.
The traditional Kun Opera, the origin of hundreds of traditional Chinese operas, is making a comeback in Shanghai.
Nudo allows its customers to adopt an olive tree, in turn receiving all the produce from the tree.
This New York store sells food and dry goods produced less than 100 miles away.
The Dove global Campaign for Real Beauty has sought to engage with the real people who consume its products.
The “Dunhill signed� range of cigars from the Dominican Republic features the hand-signed signatures of those who made the cigars.
As knitting has become more popular again, Italian brand United Colors of Bennetton have created a more youthfocused knitting product.
MyFarm in San Fransisco uses people’s backyards to grow food, some of which goes to the homeowner and the rest is sold.
Dole, an American company, puts a farm code on their products, so you can see the farm of origin online.
Kewpie Mayonnaise in Japan has released movies on their website showing how their product is made from the collection of eggs right through to the jar.
Coca-Cola will soon start its own mass-produced brand of kvas, a drink long seen as a symbol of Russian tradition.
This retro Skype plug-in, available in the UK, plays with a mix of old design and new technology.
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Making a Difference The desire to make a difference in a world in which social and environmental issues are rising consumer concerns Social and environmental issues are becoming a source of mainstream interest and concern. Issues such as climate change and labour rights frequently make front page news. People have heightened awareness of the wider impacts of their consumption. Behaviours are beginning to evolve from the simple support of a good cause, to the active search for greener alternatives or products which have an added social benefit. For some, values are becoming as important as value. And being seen to be doing the right thing has become a route to social kudos in some circles.
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Resource Worries Responding to the challenges of living in a world of strained resources
War on Waste A focus on the waste associated with consumption and efforts to minimize it
Carbon Conscious Growing awareness of carbon as a measure of environmentally friendly behaviour
Protecting Nature Protecting the world’s biodiversity and natural habitats
Fair and Humane Ensuring people and animals are treated fairly in the production process
Caring for the local community Supporting the companies and brands that support your local community
Buy and Give Supporting good causes through purchase choices
People wordwide are starting to use their cars not just as a status symbol but as an eco-symbol. Here we see George Clooney posing with his electric car.
Scientists in Australia have developed a simple ‘air shower’ device which, when fitted into existing showerheads, fills the water droplets with a tiny bubble of air. The result is the shower feels just as wet and just as strong but uses 30% less water.
The London Tea company has devised an eco-friendly tea packet, using a unique origami design that requires no plastic packaging or cardboard tags.
The new 100% recyclable Poland Spring Eco-Shape™ bottled spring water is not only less impactful on the environment, it’s purposely designed to be easy to carry and hold.
For this particular product line, Paul Mitchell is working with American Forests. Tea Tree will fund the planting of enough trees to offset all carbon emissions from the brand’s manufacture and distribution.
Transurban Group, the Australian toll road company has launched its own carbon offset product for motorists whereby they pay for carbon credits to offset the carbon footprint of their driving.
Juices made by the Good Natured firm in the UK are certified by the international conservation organisation Rainforest Alliance. The farms certified by Rainforest Alliance must meet a group of standards that cover ecosystem conservation, agrochemical reduction, wildlife protection and protection for workers
Greenpeace launched a campaign against Unilever for buying palm oil from companies that are destroying valuable rainforest and peatland areas, both harming millions of people and endangered species such as the orang-utan.
The Party for Animals in the Netherlands is a political party aimed at securing animal rights, which have managed to gain two seats in the legislature.
American Apparel opposes sweat-shop conditions, all of its clothes being made in regulated American factories.
AmazonLife clothing is made with sustainable materials such as rubber, protecting the Amazonian tribal communities who depend on this eco-friendly industry.
Through P&G India’s ‘Shiksha’ campaign, every time a customer buys a large pack of a P&G brand such as Ariel or Tide, P&G contributes one day’s education for one child.
Brazilian company Herling’s range of t-shirts displaying the Fashion Targets Breast Cancer logo which donate to the campaign.
The American Express (RED) card lets people continue spending as they want while also raising money for AIDS charities.