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A Buy (LESS) campaign was launched this week at buylesscrap.org to protest the shop-to-give charity business model to raise money for the Global Fund via the recent (RED) cause marketing campaign, according to the MarketingProfs Daily Fix.

Created by words pictures ideas (WPI) and Romantic Static, Buy (LESS) provides a more meaningful option for would-be donors to causes; instead of buying products like Gap clothing and iPods, since just a small percentage goes to causes, GIVE MORE - as in, donate directly - Buy (LESS) urges.

The Buy (LESS) site is in part a parody of the (RED) effort, featuring mock ads mimicking the (RED) campaign. The site also provides direct web links to charitable organizations.

WPI also points to the paltry results of the (RED) campaign. "To spend what must amount to more than $100 million dollars [a speculated amount] on advertising to raise a tenth of that for charity seems a hollow investment," WPI founder Ben Davis is quoted as saying.

Though Davis says shopping is not a replacement for giving, with greater scrutiny it can be less manipulative and possibly drive even greater levels of donations to charity, he says.