Apple takes on red signage for good cause

Just because your business has all of the custom made signs it needs to promote its business doesn't mean that they can't be changed to fit a certain purpose. Making newer signs that offer a slight but important variation on the traditional logo is part of staying active as a business and adapting to different campaigns. Apple, for example, has changed the color of its famous logo in certain stores to promote AIDS awareness.

The New York Daily News features a photo of the first of the affected stores, located in Sydney, Australia, displaying a red-tinted apple sign in the store front laid on top of a traditional white one. The different hue is reportedly linked to a charity campaign the company has embarked on to donate percentages of its Cyber Monday sales to the Global Fund. The company is also adding special features to existing apps in order to promote purchases to support the charity PRODUCT RED.

In a press release from Apple, CEO Tim Cook put this initiative in the context of the company's history in fighting AIDS through similar campaigns over the years.

"For eight years, our customers have been helping fight AIDS in Africa by funding life-saving treatments which are having a profoundly positive impact," he said. "This year we are launching our biggest fundraising push yet with the participation of Apple's retail and online stores, and some of the brightest minds in the App Store are lending their talents to the effort as well." 

It is crucial that when POP signs are involved with such campaigns, users know the reasons for a change and are able to take part easily. Businesses should use specially crafted pieces that have an obvious connection with the original logo to maximize the impact.