Chances are if you've spent any time on social media in past couple of weeks, you've seen some of your friends dump a bucket of ice water over their heads. Maybe you've even seen former United States President George Bush do it. Or the New England Patriots. Or Charlie Sheen. Or Robert Doweny Jr. This challenge has made social media explode over the last few days and tons of awareness has been to the cause.

It's you've taken the "Ice Bucket Challenge" yourself. If you have, you've done your part to raise awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS (commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease). In the process, you've taken part in one of the most explosively viral grassroots marketing campaign for a good cause. Here's how it works: Someone who wants to participate (or has been "challenged" via social media by a friend) simply films themselves dumping a bucket of ice water on their head. It's evocative of those celebratory Super Bowl or World Series moments, where a coach gets drenched with refreshing Gatorade. But in this case, it's personal. The dunkee then challenges a friend to do the same in the name of ALS, within 24 hours, and/or donate to the cause.

The viral challenge actually kicked off a few months ago, when Pete Frates, a 29-year-old Massachusetts resident diagnosed with ALS, started posting about it on social media with his father's help. It really gained traction, however, 10 days ago when friends and family of the former Boston College baseball player used it to raise awareness about his plight. Frates was diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease, which has no cure, in 2012. He is now paralyzed, eats through a feeding tube and cannot talk. Last Thursday, Frates' parents, Nancy and John Frates, were joined by 200 Bostonians who doused themselves in Copley Square, making the local news – and, eventually, national headlines.

This feel-good campaign has raised $22.9 million since July 29 for the ALS Association, which researches Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. That's compared with $1.8 million raised in the same time period last year.

But the online campaign has also been criticized as "slacktivism" — online engagement for a cause that requires very little time, effort or real-world involvement.Some critics of slacktivism — also called "clicktivism" or "hashtag activism" — question whether people who have dumped water over their heads have donated money or even know what ALS is.

Now i personaly believe that any awareness is better then none and as of Tuesday, August 19, The ALS Association has received $22.9 million in donations compared to $1.9 million during the same time period last year (July 29 to August 19). These donations have come from existing donors and 453,210 new donors to The Association. This is starting to become the most succesful online campign in the world. We at Effex Agency took part in it earlier this week and gave a donation to the cause. However, the impact of this viral campign is just beginning. Now, that people have seen how this works marketing companies around the world will be coming up with plans to get even a fraction of the money that was gained by ALS.

I believe that the results of this campign can be clearly seen. It has brought more AWARENESS in the last few months then any other non-profit orginization. It has dominated all aspect of SOCIAL MEDIA and It has brought in FINANCIAL backing from all over the world and it reminds people of Lou Gehrig's Disease. 

As a company the builds marketing plans for companies everyday we are excited to look at this impact and hopefully be able to create smaller impacts for the many non-profits that we help fundraiser for throughout Brevard County. 

About The ALS Association
The ALS Association is the only national non-profit organization fighting Lou Gehrig’s Disease on every front.  By leading the way in global research, providing assistance for people with ALS through a nationwide network of chapters, coordinating multidisciplinary care through Certified Treatment Centers of Excellence, and fostering government partnerships, The Association builds hope and enhances quality of life while aggressively searching for new treatments and a cure.  For more information about The ALS Association, visit our website at www.alsa.org.

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