The Ice Bucket Challenge, sometimes called the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, is an activity involving dumping a bucket of ice water on someone's head to promote awareness of the disease Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and encourage donations to research. It went viral on social media during July–August 2014. In the US, many people participate for the ALS association, and in the UK many people participate for the motor neurone disease association, although some individuals have opted to donate their money from the Ice Bucket Challenge to other organizations.
The challenge encourages nominated participants to be filmed having a bucket of ice water poured on their heads and then nominating others to do the same. A common stipulation is that nominated participants have 24 hours to comply or forfeit by way of a charitable financial donation.
The Challenge's success
The Ice Bucket Challenge has been a successful campaign. Its combination of competitiveness, social media narcissism, and low barriers to entry have led to more than 2.4 million tagged videos circulating Facebook. Even though 40-50% of the new donors are likely to make one-time gifts only, the Challenge instigated large numbers of people, videos, and donations. The challenge also benefits from a unique balance of mass interest and individual identification.In using social media as its platform, it accessed many people worldwide; in having its participants individually identify potential candidates – calling them out by “tagging” them – it felt personal. Furthermore, the videos are often entertaining. Some celebrities have indulged in longer videos to name-drop, show off their vacations, their homes, their humility, and some even advocate for their own organizations. The average participants keep their videos under a minute,requiring limited commitment from any viewers. Another concept the Challenge benefited from is its ripple effect, inspiring features for articles titled “Top 10 Ice Bucket Challenge Fails”and “10 More of the Best Celebrity Takes on the Ice Bucket Challenge.”Despite its marketing success, critics suggest that the ease of repeating the challenge's spiel do not increase awareness of what the disease actually does and who it is so harmful to.
Rules
Within 24 hours of being challenged, participants must record a video of themselves in continuous footage.First, they are to announce their acceptance of the challenge followed by pouring ice into a bucket of water.Then, the bucket is to be lifted and poured over the participant's head. Then the participant can nominate a minimum of three other people to participate in the challenge.
Whether people choose to donate, perform the challenge, or do both varies.
In one version of the challenge, the participant is expected to donate $10 if they have poured the ice water over their head or donate $100 if they have not. In another version, dumping the ice water over the participant's head is done in lieu of any donation, which has led to some criticisms of the challenge being a form of "slacktivism". Many participants donate $100 in addition to doing the challenge.
Within 24 hours of being challenged, participants must record a video of themselves in continuous footage.First, they are to announce their acceptance of the challenge followed by pouring ice into a bucket of water.Then, the bucket is to be lifted and poured over the participant's head. Then the participant can nominate a minimum of three other people to participate in the challenge.
Whether people choose to donate, perform the challenge, or do both varies.
In one version of the challenge, the participant is expected to donate $10 if they have poured the ice water over their head or donate $100 if they have not. In another version, dumping the ice water over the participant's head is done in lieu of any donation, which has led to some criticisms of the challenge being a form of "slacktivism". Many participants donate $100 in addition to doing the challenge.
Supporting Personal Causes
Some participants who performed the challenge have donated to charities of their choice. This version, while not widely practiced, is generally accepted as a challenge success.
