iLounge

Repurposing Pink shuffles for Breast Cancer Promo

By Jeremy Horwitz

Editor-in-Chief, iLounge
Published: Sunday, September 23, 2007
Category: Backstage

Have you heard about the “iPod Shuffle Special Edition for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation?”

An unannounced Target exclusive? Sort of. Found in Target’s retail stores, this oversized clear plastic package contains a $15 iTunes Gift Card, a pink iPod shuffle, and a note that U.S. Merchants—a company also known as “Diversified Re-Packaging”—is making a $25,000 donation to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

The pink iPod shuffle—yes, the one that was discontinued earlier this month—and the iTunes Gift Card aren’t really “special edition” or charity-specific items, like Apple’s Product (RED) iPod shuffle, iPod nano, and iTunes cards, so there’s nothing about the items that makes them collectible. But it’s interesting to see how bundling (ahem, repackaging) can put an out-of-season iPod to good use, and still offer a real “deal” for buyers: thanks to the iTunes card, the $80 package is a $14 better value than just walking into an Apple Store and buying a new $79 iPod shuffle.