The Ice Bucket Challenge, known as the challenge that supports the ALS foundation, has grabbed the attention of people worldwide. When checking Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, there is constantly a post about the ice bucket challenge, a picture, or a video of someone participating in the challenge. This challenge is “inevitable” and “unavoidable” (Mashable). There is not one person who hasn’t heard about this challenge or doesn’t know someone who was nominated to participate. When a cause becomes this powerful via social media, we need to ask: why are people so interested and continuing to stay engaged.
The challenge allows the public to engage with one another and unite to do something for a great cause!.There’s a personal satisfaction that results from participating in the challenge, and the participant feels gratification after the challenge (Mashable). Having an ice bucket dumped on your head not only helps raise awareness for the ALS foundation, but also the participant feels as though this challenge does something for them personally. The participant is publicly called out on the Internet to support the cause, therefore they literally sees themselves in the public eye as a supporter of a great cause. Another reason why this challenge has been successful is that it’s simple and fun. Both donating money and getting a bucket of ice poured on your head take minutes, and hey, it’s also pretty fun.
Originally, this challenge could not have anticipated the amount of people to participate or the amount of people to support ALS. The ice bucket challenge went viral very quickly and still continues to spread! According to Gene Lewis creative officer of Digital Pulp, “It has the perfect mix of elements to make it viral: it’s fun (and funny), it’s personal and broadly relevant, it’s for kids and adults, it’s intensely shareable, and most critically, it includes a dare”. Not only is the participant engaged, but all of the viewers worldwide are engaged in this attempt to raise awareness for an important cause. Now check out my personal favorite ice bucket challenge from Nick Offerman of Parks and Recreation below.
If you’ve read this far, congratulations, I challenge YOU the reader to participate in the ice bucket challenge. You have 24 hours.
Sincerely,
Oni Elephant
