The Ice Bucket Challenge and its virality

Who started it?

While some accounts vary, the official explanation from the ALS Association is that the challenge started as a “sort of” accident with golfers who challenged friends and family, but the Association specifically credits Jeanette and Anthony Senerchia, Pat Quinn, and Pete Frates (former baseball player who suffers from ALS) and his family. You can watch 40 of the best videos so far here. (My favorite video is of Sir Patrick Stewart.) 

Why has it gone viral?

That’s the $94 million dollar question! Some social media blogs and articles posit that it went viral because:

• It appeals to the emotions: it’s fun and engaging.
• Challenge/duel/hard to say no to: it challenges or calls out people to be a part of something or because it “incorporates 24 hour public accountability,” according to Surety Solutions, a specialty insurance broker.
• It’s creative and different. People have come up with the craziest ideas on how to dump water on themselves, like by using a dump truck.
• Anyone can do it since the target audience is everyone in the world.
• It is social currency, which means that it’s easily shared.
• It’s a video or easily consumable content and it’s quick: just a few seconds of video.
• And the fact that Facebook has made the videos in the timeline play automatically whenever you scroll over them has helped spread the virality of the challenge. This means that you had no way of escaping watching the videos and getting caught up in the ice tsunami.
• Some say it was perfectly timed: To throw an ice water bucket over yourself on a hot summer day seemed appropriate, versus doing that during winter.
• And like Surety Solutions points out: “The Ice Bucket Challenge is not a formula. You can’t orchestrate ‘viral.’ But those who observe and apply the basic principles will improve their marketing.”

Have YOU taken up the challenge or donated, or both?