Nickelodeon & (RED) Introduce 'SPONGEBOB' RED to Benefit Fight Against AIDS

Nickelodeon in partnership with (RED) announced the debut of (SPONGEBOB)RED, a collaboration enlisting the iconic character to help raise money for the Global Fund and awareness around the fight to end AIDS. The collaboration will kick off with exclusive (SPONGEBOB)RED designs by Jeremy Scott as a part of the Moschino Resort 2018 collection. Sixteen different items including apparel, swim and handbags for adults and children featuring (SPONGEBOB)RED designs will be available at luxury retailers and Moschino stores in November. The Moschino Resort 2018 collection debuts on the runway on Thursday, June 8, at Milk Studios in Los Angeles and will feature top models dressed in key pieces from the collaboration on the catwalk.

The Nickelodeon and (RED) partnership extends through 2018, and Nickelodeon's proceeds from all Moschino products will go to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

"SpongeBob SquarePants is one of the most iconic animated characters ever, and his fans span generations, demographics, cultures and continents," said Pam Kaufman, Chief Marketing Officer and President, Global Consumer Products, Nickelodeon. "We are proud to partner with (RED) to debut (SpongeBob)RED, and it is our hope that this collaboration can help shine more light on the need to fight against AIDS."

"This exciting creative collaboration between (RED), Nickelodeon, Moschino and Jeremy Scott transforms the iconic and much-loved SpongeBob character into a force to fight AIDS with (RED). The partnership will not only raise money to fight this preventable, treatable disease, but will also bring SpongeBob's enormous fan base - young and old - into this critical fight," said Deborah Dugan, CEO of (RED).

"I'm excited to once again be doing a collaboration with Nickelodeon and SpongeBob SquarePants," said Jeremy Scott. "Not only is he one of my favorite characters, he is beloved all over the world. I am also honored to participate with (RED) as they have done such wonderful work fighting AIDS."

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, GAP, MCM, Salesforce, SAP, Starbucks, Telcel. (RED) Special Edition partners include: aden+anais, Alessi, ALEX AND ANI, Andaz, Fatboy USA, Fully, Girl Skateboards, Le Creuset, Mophie, S'well and Vespa.

To date, (RED) has generated more than $465 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 90 million people with prevention, treatment, counseling, HIV testing and care services.

About Nickelodeon Nickelodeon, now in its 38th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 90 million households and has been the number-one-rated kids' basic cable network for 22 consecutive years.