• by Christine Bittar , January 26, 2007

Natural products retail chain The Body Shop is partnering with MTV Networks International on a fund-raising and awareness campaign for HIV and AIDS called Spray to Change Attitude. The venture includes the sale of a fragrance called Rougeberry.

The initiative is an extension of MTV's Staying Alive Foundation, which is a charity offering grants to people fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Besides the fragrance and a yet-to-be-named spokesperson, the Spray to Change Attitudes campaign will include Web site information, educational leaflet distribution in the chain's 2,000-plus worldwide stores, and ads on MTVNI channels.

Rougeberry will keep its charitable status from Jan. 29 through March 30. The Body Shop and MTV logos will be featured on the packaging of that version of Rougeberry, with $8.70 from the sale of each bottle donated to the charity during that two-month time period.

Thereafter, the fragrance will become a staple in The Body Shop stores, but without the MTV co-branding. The fragrance will sell for 8 pounds in the U.K., and approximately $16 in the U.S.

The Body Shop founder Anita Roddick estimated that the effort should raise $500,000. Vice chairman of MTV Networks and foundation Chairman Bill Roedy said the campaign is the largest fund-raising collaboration thus far for the Staying Alive Foundation.

Just as breast cancer has drawn fund-raising attention from marketers including Revlon, Estee Lauder, Avon and Yoplait, HIV/AIDS is one of just a handful of diseases that marketers have chosen to support. For instance, since its inception, MAC Cosmetics has had an AIDS fund, donating all proceeds from Viva Glam lipstick to assist AIDS victims.