The ALS ice bucket challenge raised $5.5 million in donations since July 29, compared with $32,000 in the same time period last year, according to Time. Needless to say, pouring water on our heads went viral to support a great cause. The internet came together to chip in once again. 

Even on Facebook fans uploaded more than 2.4 million videos in the past couple of months, some were doing it for the first time. 

Why it Worked

Everyone got on board whether it was a celebrity or your grandma using her inactive Facebook for the first time in a year. Reflecting on the increase on donations, you may wonder, why did it work? 

• It is a good cause, it was something neutral that everyone could get on board with. ALS happens rather randomly so nearly anyone can be impacted by it. 
• They turned a serious issue into something light hearted. You could challenge your friends to pour ice all over themselves and donate a few dollars while they are at it. 
• Social media loves video. Period. 

They allowed people to challenge their friends to do something silly for a great cause and ended up raising millions of dollars in just a few months. It is the beauty of going viral. The internet, at least for now, remains the last voice of the people. They can make or break something. 

Read more on why it caught on so fast on Social Media Today. 

Lessons Learned 

As marketers and social media workers, we can take away useful information from this case. Want to go viral? Here are a few things to keep in mind. 

• It should be a simple enough stunt that anyone and everyone can get involved. The ALS challenge rules were simple and flexible. You could pour ice water over your head, donate, or both. 
• It worked because you challenged 3 friends. It ultimately ended up like 6 degrees of separation. With enough people participating, you were bound to be challenged eventually. 
• The 24-hour deadline created a sense of urgency, and there was a strong call-to-action. It was forward and to the point.
• It made a serious issue into something fun. 

What it comes down to is being fun and easy. See more lessons learned on Social Fresh and Ad Age. 

The ALS Ice Bucket  Challenge had ordinary folks uploading videos to social media for the first time. This broke records on Facebook and sky rocketed donations for ALS. Everyone had fun doing it and creating awareness. Keep this in mind for your next campaign and remember to donate to your favorite charity anytime you are financially able to. 

For information on marketing, please contact a Blue Archer professional.