How MAC Cosmetics is expanding its Viva Glam charity

 Consumers are used to social advocacy via their wallets, and MAC Cosmetics plans to amplify that action on June 9 using its Viva Glam charitable program. MAC’s Viva Glam charitable initiative was founded in 1994 and focused on raising funds for HIV/AIDS programs at a time when the disease was still rife with stigmas and misinformation. It’s so far raised $500 million for the company’s AIDS Fund. Currently, as part of the charitable program, MAC has approximately six lipsticks available for sale for $19-$22 each, with 100% of the sales going toward Viva Glam. But on June 9, MAC Cosmetics is hosting its first-ever Day of Giving, where 100% of sales for over 200 lipsticks — available worldwide — will go to the charity. MAC Cosmetics expects to raise up to $500,000 during the period.

Corporate social responsibility programs have undergone a dramatic change since 2020. In 2019, Viva Glam expanded its focus to include supporting healthy futures and equal rights for women, girls and LGBTQ communities, in addition to HIV/AIDS. “Beyond raising money, [this 24-hour fundraiser] has the opportunity to create conversations around Viva Glam — what it does — as well as to bring awareness to our causes and recruit more [customers as] activists,” said Aïda Moudachirous-Rebois, global CMO of MAC Cosmetics. “When you use the power of community, you can transform society, and that’s what we’ve been standing on for as long as MAC has been in business.”

MAC plans to promote the Day of Giving through a countdown on its social media channels and its e-commerce site, as well as through its 13,000 in-store makeup artists via day-of announcements to customers. MAC has over 125 million followers across its combined social media channels. Moudachirous-Rebois said the 24-hour program is meant to inspire a sense of urgency within customers to drum up excitement for the CSR program. “MAC is no longer the only brand [with a CSR initiative], so we need to continue to make sure our consumer understands the impact that MAC is making and that [CSR] was always part of the brand,” she said. “And we will continue to find a way to pioneer ways to engage with your communities.”

In recent years, such pioneering efforts by MAC have included launching an NFT with The Keith Haring Foundation that sold for $80,000, with 100% of the proceeds going toward Viva Glam. Haring, a notable artist, died in 1990 due to HIV/AIDS complications. And in 2019, MAC introduced using user-generated content for Viva Glam’s 25th anniversary. Model Winnie Harlow served as the face of the campaign. The same year, MAC tapped 25 artists, influencers and activists, including singer-songwriter Troye Sivan, transgender fashion model Lea T and drag queen Aquaria to serve as Viva Glam “Mactivists” when the brand announced its Viva Glam expansion.