It was the challenge of the summer. Donate to ALS research or face a bucket of ice water – or both – and Youtube yourself. From A-list celebrities to my own sister, it seems as if everyone has taken the plunge.
At face value, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is simple – stupid simple. I triple dog dare you to do something. You don’t want to look like a chicken in front of all your Facebook friends, so you do it. And, hey, Justin Timberlake did it, so it’s cool, right? And, it’s for a good cause.
Despite the haters, the Challenge has proven to be a major success. It has helped raise millions of dollars for ALS research – over $100 million and counting. Considering the ALS Association collected just $2.6 million this time last year, the Challenge’s impact is more than impressive – it’s amazing!
In addition to the dollar bills, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is an important case study in using social media to raise awareness. The Challenge paved the way for education, advocacy and for conversations about this devastating disease to even take place. It made ALS a top search term on Google, gave this brave ALS patient a voice and is providing hope for a cure.
It’s not just ice buckets and celebrities in wet T-shirts that can make an impact. Just this week, in response to the Ray Rice domestic abusecontroversy, the hashtag #WhyIStayed quickly became a trending topic, shining a light on the victims of domestic violence. There was no call to action. No money to be raised. But it got people talking.
What good does talking do? It raises awareness, which leads to action and, ultimately, CHANGE. Social media is your soapbox – use it – even if it means getting a little wet.
