When Every Drop

Counts- ALS Ice

Bucket Challenge
By: Gabrielle Hobbs
  Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an
atrocious disease that has no known cause, no
known cure, and affects around 6,000 Americans
every year.
 The disease attacks different nerve cells that

Background control voluntary movement and takes away all

physical movement from someone who is
diagnosed.
 100 percent fatal and once diagnosed, people who
suffer from this disease only live two-five years
longer.
 The ALS Association was formed in 1985 and is
solely dedicated to fighting ALS and advocating
for people who suffer from this disease.
Situation: What is the campaign?
o The challenge was easy, if you were challenged you either donated
$100 to ALS or dumped a bucket of ice water on yourself.
o Originally not an ALS sanctioned event
o Chris Kennedy- 2014
o Pete Frate
o Frate’s large following
o ALS Association got involved within a week of Frate’s initial post
Objectives

No objectives made at first

Objective 1: To draw public attention to the challenges
faced by people with ALS.
Objective 2: To raise money for an ALS foundation that
would allow for more research to find a cure or cause.
 Strategies and Tactics
1. News Release on ALS website- August 6, 2014
2. Creation of Ice Bucket Challenge Website- shared to all social medias
3. First national press release via PR Newswire
4. Media Interviews
5. Transparency
6. Hashtags: #icebucketchallenge, #alsicebucketchallenge, #strikeoutals
7. One-minute thank you videos
8. Infographic of results
Evaluation
 LARGE SUCCESS
 Lasted 4-5 months
 peak popularity lasted roughly eight weeks and raised $115 million
 More than $220 million raised globally
 17 million Ice Bucket challenge videos were posted on Facebook and had been viewed
more than 10 billion times by 440 million people.
 Over 100 celebrities, politicians, and key figures participated
 Significant increase in people’s awareness of ALS
 Visits to the ALS Association’s website increased drastically
 Discussion Questions
 1. Did any of you all do the challenge?
 If so, was it something you did just because everyone else was or were you aware of what it was
for?
 Do you know why you pour ice water on yourself and why it relates to ALS?
 Do you think social media challenges and contests are the new way to get your company's name
out? If so, do you know any other campaigns that are related to this one?
 If this challenge/campaign was started directly from ALS do you think it would have been as
successful?
 If ALS attempted to start this challenge again, would you participate or do you think it can only be done
once?