Ice Bucket Challenge for PR Specialists

Perhaps every PR specialist is dreaming that social network users would vehemently spread the organization message, performing not just a symbolic action, such as: to attach a certain mark to one’s photo or publish news on one’s page on the social network, but would rush to create video stories, performing a ritual and passing the baton to his/her friends. The campaign “ALS Ice Bucket Challenge” appeared to be such a dream; it aimed at raising awareness for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and philanthropic funding for the disease research funds. I think very few people could not notice in their social network news stream videos of people dumping freezing water over their heads and passing the baton to three friends. Often, there were celebrities and the whole company’s staff in these videos. Activity gained momentum with a snowball effect: according to The New York Times, the videos “Ice Bucket Challenge” mentioned were mentioned 1.2 million times on Facebook from 1 June to 13 August, another 2.2 million mentions were fixed on Twitter from 29 July to 17 August. However, it is not as rosy as it might seem at first glance. Many participants have not penetrated the wet flash mob idea and essence, and did not even mention any disease or the need to make a donation (at least $10, if nominated has dumped water and at least $100 - if refused to perform this action). I think most of them did not even know about these aspects. Thus, the idea dissolved in a huge number of videos, as many people just wanted to show that “they also can”. Whatever it was, the ALS Foundation has collected impressive donations, and I was wondering about the Ice Bucket challenge the communication professionals got afterwards. Here are some of my conclusions:

1. Do not be afraid to implement brave decisions. We do not know what idea will be viral, and what will be lost in the first hours of life. I think that many communicators would reject such flash mob at the planning stage, as very troublesome for the participants.
2. It is important to ensure that the action does not become a senseless act of entertainment. Dumping water over one’s head was not the aim itself. Therefore, any action requires clear, precisely formulated and delivered to the participants’ rules. Here a simple slogan that everyone uses in the proposed ritual can help.
3. Crazy ideas work best for the first time. Now it would be definitely a bad idea to copy the format of the flash mob for other campaigns. However, I admit that a certain portion of clones will appear.
4. Engage opinion leaders in campaigns. Attracting celebrities still works well to raise awareness and involvement of other participants at an early stage of the campaign.
5. Let's think about how to wake sleeping children in the audience up! There is a sleeping child in everyone, ready to wake up, if he will be offered exciting entertainment. Then we are ready for rather complex actions. Think about it: to prepare a bucket of ice, record video, and dump water over your head in 11-degree cold ... It was a real eye-opener for me, because I was sure that the audience has become lazy.