Advertisement Ideas: What The Ice Bucket Challenge Teaches Us!!!
 
The ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) Ice Bucket Challenge translates into any language. As I was watching all the videos of people taking The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge I began to think about all the lessons that this teaches us and how it relates to delivering your message. What began as a way to honor and support Peter Frates, who is a former Boston College Baseball Player who was diagnosed with ALS, by raising awareness and funds for The ALS Association, www.alsa.org , has morphed into a world wide phenomenon where it seems everyone from a local coach to someone like Former President George Bush is taking the ice bucket challenge. Some like Charlie Sheen dumped $10,000 over his head and challenged his colleagues to do the same and donate the $10,000 to The ALS Association, www.alsa.org. Verne Troyer put a twist on it dumping milk over his head while eating a cookie. The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has taught us that if you have the right message targeted to the right audience and utilize the right platforms you can be very successful. In the time frame of July 29 – August 22, 2013 The ALS Association raised just under $2 million in that same time this year due to The Ice Bucket Challenge they have raised over $40 Million.
ESPN recently did this story on Pete Frates who is the inspiration behind The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Now to look at what The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge teaches us.
1: Taking action and having the right motivation leads to success
2: Being creative in how we deliver the message garners attention and creates positive results
3: Developing a following and having them become advocates builds awareness and support
4: Having a clear and easily understandable message will peak the interest of potential clients/supporters/customers
5: Utilizing social media can be very effective
6: Getting well known people as spokes people calling out other well known people will create an avalanche for your cause/business
7: Brand awareness is key to growing your business or cause.
8: People are giving and will respond to a message if it resonates with them
9: Tying your message to a cause with a defined purpose will create a buzz
10: Promotion is a necessary element to all aspects of business or charitable endeavors
This ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has been viewed 557 times and shows us that when we are creative in what we do we peak people’s interest and get results. The idea of having a digital footprint is nothing do and ALS Ice Bucket Challenge shows us just how effective video can be when used properly. Many of these videos are now on You Tube, Twitter, Facebook, Stumble Upon, Linkein, and other social media sites. Think about it from a business stand point You take The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and you state who you are, what business you own or work for, annotate the video with your website and also include www.alsa.org as an annotation and now you have more credibility in the market place as people will perceive you as a business that cares. I have found that I personally do business with those I perceive to be giving back to the community more than those I perceive not to.
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge teaches us that the right concept promoted properly utilizing the right platform will lead to success. In business find what your message is and deliver it consistently to your desired target audience and you will reach the goals and objectives you have set. By the way this video has been viewed 147,378 times. If only 1% respond and donate to The ALS Association the more support they can give to those affected by ALS.
This ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has been viewed 1,853,462. The lesson here is if you have a good platform to use it is important to utilize it.
I have also learned that The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge can also revive some people’s career as many people who have not been in the spot light for a while are no getting back in the spot light due to the ability to use The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge to put their name back out there.
I encourage you to visit www.alsa.org and make a donation and then let people know that you supported the cause as people are more apt to do business with people they perceive to support the community than those they perceive not to. Through The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge I have learned cause marketing is a very effective tool in building awareness about who you are, what you do, and how people can do business with you. Today Stay Positive.
