Pharrell and Woolies want to change the world
It was announced this afternoon at a press conference that the American singer/songwriter and Woolies will be working together to uplift education in South Africa, to support food farming that goes easy on the planet and to create sustainable fashion.
Oh, and Pharrell will be performing in South Africa in September as part of the colab - for a one-night-only concert.
“We’re on a mission to change the world, to make a difference wherever we can,” he says in a video clip posted by Woolies on YouTube.
“Earlier this year at Davos we announced the launch of harmonizing humanity, to call together everyone around the world who believes that a better tomorrow is possible when we all do our part. For those who believe in clean lakes, rivers and oceans – who care about their products and where they come from and who are giving to make sure that every kid gets the best shot at a great education,” Pharrell continued.
The project will see Pharrell take on the role of Style Director in a series of sustainability-focused projects. According to Woolworths, the partnership is a strategic one, grounded in a strong set of shared values.
“Pharrell is a global icon for social cohesion, advancement through education and environmental awareness – these same values lie at the heart of our business and form the foundation on which this partnership is built. We hope Pharrell will help us make sustainability cool for the next generation of South Africans and help us create a better future for our children, our country and our planet,” said CEO for Woolworths Holdings Limited, Ian Moir,
“This is very near and dear to my heart. We want to bring together everyone around the world who cares about making a difference,” added Pharrell.
He ends the video clip asking “South Africa, are you with us?”
Earlier, he sent Twitter into a frenzy when he dropped hints about the upcoming collaboration - ahead of the official announcement.
Proud to collab with retailer @Woolworths_SA. Are you with us, South Africa? See you in September! #PharrellWithWoolies
— Pharrell Williams (@Pharrell) April 9, 2015
Woolworths has identified four ways customers can get involved. These include by helping to raise over R100-million through swiping their MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet cards, a sustainable T-shirt design competition, a school singing competition that will see pupils appearing alongside Pharrell on stage in South Africa – as well as winning tickets to see Pharrell in this one-night-only private concert.