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Itzik Yarkoni

Dump Ice Water On Your Head

Would you donate to cure disease?

…Not so sure.

Well…would you film yourself pouring ice water on your head, post to Facebook, and share it with your friends?” 

Be happy to!

Since July 29, the Ice Bucket Challenge on social media has people all over the US pouring buckets of ice over their heads on video. Patrick Quinn, a victim of ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), initiated this social media campaign along with his friend in order to raise awareness and money for the disease. So far 1.3 million videos have been uploaded to Facebook of your friends, Mark Zuckerberg, Justin Timberlake participating in the challenge. Best part it — it’s for a good cause!

As of Thursday, the ALS Association, a national advocacy, care and research association with 38 chapters, had raised $7.6 million in donations in two weeks. That compares with $1.4 million raised during the same two-week period last year. The donations came from existing donors and 145,918 new donors, said a spokeswoman for the group.

Share the Story!

BOMAH empowers you to share your story because people want to be included. Similarly, by nominating friends to join in the Ice Bucket Challenge, the story never ends. The campaign combines standardization and individuality. Videos are unique to each person, but part of a wider story. Celebrities participating in the challenge on social media and on the television have made it sensational. 111

With all the histrionics, is the message getting lost?

Just to clear the air, the rules of the campaign state that the nominated individual must either donate or pour ice water on his head. Some follow that money must be donated no matter what. People are definitely having fun, but perhaps not absorbing what the whole initiative is about, which is after all, for research. The challenge might suggest to some that being cold, wet, and uncomfortable is preferable to forking over the mulah.

No one would disagree with the campaign being successful -more money is being raised; awareness is spreading from the videos. But perhaps the Ice Bucket Challenge could have been even more successful.

Other Ideas That We Thought About:

  • Call to action: Make sure posts on FB have the link to donate directly, therefore people watching have an easier way of donating immediately.
  • Branding: Repeat the main message throughout – make sure people get why you’re doing what you’re doing. Direct the viewer to the link to donate. Perhaps explain how the disease kills to reinforce the seriousness.
  • Contribution: Friends may donate $2 to watch the clip. Passive participation diminishes the longevity of charity as an institution and practice. In other words, what’s $2 for charity?

Get People InvolvedCapture

 

Thanking your friends and inviting others to join to be part of your story will always be engaging. There are countless ways of getting your network of friends engaged and excited. Remember, people want to DO GOOD and HAVE FUN on social media. Add a bucket of ice, and there you got a viral campaign.

Next Nomination Goes To:

Bibi Netanyahu and Mahmoud Abbas. You have 24 hours. Go 

Co-written @Elan Brotniker  

About the Author
Itzik Yarkoni is the author of Pass the Chutzpah Please: An Israeli Outlook on Bold Business and Branding, Yarkoni is also the founder of BOMAH: The Brand of Milk&Honey, a branding firm specializing in social media and storytelling. Yarkoni has presented his storytelling workshop to over 10,000 students, start-up founders, and government officials all over the world.