The
ALS Ice Bucket Challenge raised over $100 million for the ALS Association in the
month of August alone. Even though the activity as well as the end use of funds
has been criticized by many, the impact created by this chain-reaction cannot
be overstated. Participated in by thousands across the globe, the New York
Times reported that the seed for its virality germinated when in late July, Pete
Frates, an ALS patient posted a video of himself bobbing his head to the hit ‘90s
song “Ice Ice Baby” and nominating a few of his friends to douse themselves in
ice water or donate money for the cause. The stunt soon spread across Boston
and then permeated globally when a few big names fell into the loop.
The
magnitude of the stunt’s virality speaks a lot about the power of publicity
over paid marketing. In this age of heavy social media influence, businesses
are constantly in the rush to outdo each other in not just reaching but
touching the consumers to build brand loyalty. Here are a few tips that we can
take from the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge in building viral content that markets
itself.
Simplicity
With
increasing avenues for distraction, social networking sites are constantly
buzzing with content aiming towards mass appeal. The popularity of image memes
can be attributed to their simple format. Similarly, short articles are
preferred over more descriptive content; and graphic representation over
textual. A video provides detailed information in limited time and in the
easiest to consume fashion. Thus, it has been one of the primary reasons for
the stunt’s popularity.
Humor
Most
users log on to the social media to escape boredom. Presenting an idea with a
touch of fun or humor helps in spreading the message without giving it a
serious packaging. Zomato can be named as one example which constantly posts original
light hearted content related to its industry to build a fun oriented image
with the youth. The amusing reactions of people taking the challenge were
looked forward to by most.
Multiplier Effect
The activity
required participants to nominate their friends to take up the challenge. The
element of challenge acted as a catalyst in prompting people to participate and
prove their ability to engage in the stunt. Giving a deadline of twenty-four
hours further expedited the participation and ensured that the thrill does not
fizzle out.
Sense of Goodness
Any
business offering’s first rule is to make the customer feel good about himself
and generate a sense of self worth that he may not achieve by using a competitor’s
product or service. The challenge made people feel good about themselves for donating
towards a good cause. In the process, a lot of participants educated themselves
about the disease and felt sensitized towards the cause, even though minutely.
Flexibility and Customization
The
act further allowed for flexibility in terms of location for performing it, the
amount of money to be donated and the amount of ice that people chose to put in
their buckets, thus making the stunt even easier to perform.
Despite
the criticism, the challenge gave people all over the world a fun activity to
engage in, formed a source of entertainment, spread awareness and raised money
for a cause. Win-Win!
****
Further Reading:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_Bucket_Challenge
http://theweek.com/speedreads/index/266559/speedreads-this-is-the-guy-who-made-the-ice-bucket-challenge-go-viral
http://www.viralthread.com/ice-bucket-challenge/
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/236843
http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/ice-bucket-challenge-viral/
http://grist.org/living/four-reasons-that-ice-bucket-challenge-went-crazy-viral/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/ricksmith/2014/09/01/the-science-behind-the-success-of-the-ice-bucket-challenge/
http://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2014/25817/what-the-als-ice-bucket-challenge-can-teach-us-about-content-marketing
****
Image Source: slate.com
Good Article.....
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