Assessing the underworking elements that made the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge so powerful and culturally contagious.

1. DECODING THE ALS ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE
AUGUST 31, 2014
@Marctothec

2. @Marctothec
2

3. AS SUCH, THE ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE MAKES FOR GOOD INSPIRATION
CREATING A CASE STUDY TO CONSIDER FOR DESIGNING CULTURALLY CONTAGIOUS PROGRAMMING
@Marctothec
3

4. @Marctothec
THE QUESTION THEN IS…HOW?
4

5. @Marctothec
5

6. @Marctothec
DECODING THE ALS
ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE
!
1. WHAT - WHAT IS IT EXACTLY?
2. HOW - HOW DID IT BECOME SO CONTAGIOUS?
3. WHAT NOW - WHAT NOW CAN WE LEARN AND LEVERAGE?
6

7. @Marctothec
WHAT
WHAT IS IT EXACTLY?
7

8. NO DOUBT YOU ARE WELL AWARE OF THE
NUTS AND BOLTS OF THIS PHENOMENA
@Marctothec
8

9. @Marctothec
Not unlike the mechanics
of a chain letter.
9

10. @Marctothec
>24 HOURS = $100 DONATION
10

11. THERE WERE OTHER ATTEMPTS AT THIS PRIOR TO THE ALS INITIATIVE
USING THE “ICE BUCKET” AS A CHARITY DRIVER BUT RECEIVING VERY LITTLE FANFARE IN COMPARISON
@Marctothec
11
APRIL 29, 2014
AMADO HUIRZA WAS CHALLENGED BY RYAN
O’NEIL TO COMPLETE THE CHALLENGE OR
DONATE TO SHEAVES FOR CHRIST
JULY 7, 2014
AUCKLAND DIVISION OF THE CANCER SOCIETY
OF NEW ZEALAND FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN
THROUGH EVERYDAY HERO

12. @Marctothec
THE ALS CHALLENGE HAD CONSIDERABLY MORE TRACTION
THOUGH IT DIDN’T START AS A CHARITY SPECIFIC INITIATIVE
12
JULY 2014
PRO-GOLFER, BRITTANY LINCIOCOME, ACCEPTS
CHALLENGE BY REBECCA LEE-BENTHAM (A PRO-GOLFER)
AND NOMINATES OTHERS. NO MENTION
OF ALS AT THIS POINT. HER VIDEO RIPPLED
ACROSS THE PRO-GOLF WORLD.
JULY 15, 2014
BRITTANY’S CHALLENGE MADE ITS WAY TO JAMES
WHITMORE, A PRO-GOLF TRAINER, WHO CHALLENGED
JON BULLAS, GOLF ACADEMY OWNER IN FL, AND CHRIS
KENNEDY, ANOTHER PRO-GOLFER. CHRIS’ CHALLENGE TO
FRIENDS WAS THE FIRST TO MENTION ALS.
JULY 2014
CHRIS’ VIDEO CHALLENGED JEANETTE SENERCHIA WHOSE
HUSBAND SUFFERS FROM ALS. SHE MADE A VIDEO THAT
SPARKED PARTICIPATION IN HER SMALL TOWN WHICH
REACHED PAT QUINN, WHO ALSO SUFFERS FOR ALS. QUINN’S
VIDEO EVENTUALLY REACHED PETE FRATES, AN RETIRED
BASE BALL PLAYER WHO IS ACTIVE IN THE ALS COMMUNITY .

13. THIS IS WHEN THE ALS CAUGHT NOTICE AND ADOPTED THE CAMPAIGN
AS A MEANS TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR THE ILLNESS, ALSO KNOWN AS LOU GEHRIG’S DISEASE
@Marctothec
13

14. @Marctothec
AS THIS HAPPENED, MORE AND MORE FOLKS WERE CHALLENGED
EXTENDING THE INITIATIVE BEYOND THE PRO-GOLF AND ALS-SUFFERER NETWORKS
14

15. "ALS" MENTIONS IN SOCIAL INCREASED
1,007%, AND ONES THAT MENTIONED
LOU GEHRIG'S DISEASE INCREASED
@Marctothec
1,167% IN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS.
15
SOURCE: BUSINESS INSIDER, 2014

16. @Marctothec
16

17. @Marctothec
HUGELY SUCCESSFUL.
AND IT WAS NOT BY ACCIDENT
17

18. @Marctothec
HOW
HOW DID IT BECOME SO CONTAGIOUS?
18

19. A textbook case of social engineering, leveraging the human and
@Marctothec
THE ALS ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE:
environmental dynamics that impact behavioral adoption.
19

20. @Marctothec
6 KEY OBSERVATIONS
20

21. YOU’VE BEEN CALLED OUT BY A FRIEND/COLLEAGUE/FAMILY MEMBER
@Marctothec
1. SOCIAL CONFORMITY
21

22. @Marctothec
22

23. @Marctothec
2. NETWORK STRENGTHENING
PICKING 3 PEOPLE HELPS FOR RELATIONSHIP GROOMING
23

24. SOME DON’T GET PICKED AND THAT SUCKS
PUBLICLY SELECTING FRIENDS SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP, WHICH WORKS TO STRENGTHEN IT
@Marctothec
24

25. @Marctothec
3. SOCIAL CURRENCY
PROVIDES A REASON TO TELL A STORY ABOUT MYSELF
25

26. @Marctothec
LOOK AT ME, I’M A GOOD PERSON.
DUMP DONATE
26

27. THE “CAUSE” ONLY GIVES THE ACT MORE CONCRETENESS
WHICH ALSO FURTHER LOWERS THE THRESHOLD OF ADOPTION AND EXPANDS THE NETWORK OF PARTICIPATION
@Marctothec
27

28. SEEING OTHER PEOPLE DO IT LOWERS THE THRESHOLD OF ADOPTION
@Marctothec
4. SOCIAL PROOF
28

29. THE NEWS FEED CREATES CONCURRENCY SO PEOPLE KNOW EXPECTATIONS
PLUS IT MAKES IT SEEMS LIKE “EVERYBODY’S DOING IT” & EASY TO SEE IF YOU HAVEN’T, KEEPING FOLKS HONEST
@Marctothec
29

30. @Marctothec
5. EASE OF PARTICIPATION
LOW BARRIER FOR DUPLICATION
30

31. ALL YOU NEED TO PARTICIPATE:
BUCKET ICE WATER VIDEO CAPTURE SOCIAL NETWORKING PLATFORM
@Marctothec
31

32. PICKING 3 NOT ONLY BROADENS PARTICIPATION BUT ALSO ENSURES SUSTAINMENT
@Marctothec
6. BUILT IN PROPAGATION
32

33. @Marctothec
MUCH LIKE THE FAIL-SAFE OF A PARALLEL CIRCUIT
IF ONE FAILS TO COMPLY, THE OTHER RELAYS KEEP IT GOING
33

34. 1. YOU’VE BEEN CALLED OUT BY A FRIEND (SOCIAL CONFORMITY)
2. NOMINATING FRIENDS MAKE FOR STRONG FRIENDSHIPS (RELATIONSHIP STRENGTHENING)
3. I LOOK LIKE A GOOD PERSON (SOCIAL CURRENCY)
4. EVERYONE’S DOING IT (SOCIAL PROOF)
5. YOU HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO DO IT (EASE OF PARTICIPATION)
6. IT DOESN’T HINGE ON JUST ONE (BUILT IN PROPAGATION)
@Marctothec
6 KEY OBSERVATIONS
34

35. @Marctothec
NOT TO MENTION…
IT DIDN’T HURT HAVING CELEBRITIES GET INVOLVED ALSO
35

36. @Marctothec
AS THEIR PARTICIPATION MADE FOR ADDITIONAL MEDIA
FURTHER THE UBIQUITY OF THE ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE
36

37. BUT IT WAS REGULAR PEOPLE, OUR FRIENDS,
@Marctothec
THAT MADE THIS SO CONTAGIOUS.
37

38. @Marctothec
38
Not even Homer.

39. TAKE
ACTION
NOW!
MARKETER ADVERTISING TARGET AUDIENCE
@Marctothec
39
ENGAGE
NETWORK
SHARE
THIS IS WHAT MAKES “SOCIAL MARKETING” SO POWERFUL
MESSAGES AND BEHAVIORS ARE PROPAGATED BY A TRUSTED SOURCE

40. @Marctothec
NETWORK SUBSCRIBER
40

41. @Marctothec
WHAT NOW
WHAT NOW CAN WE LEARN AND LEVERAGE?
41

42. HOWEVER UNIQUE, THERE ARE COMPONENTS THAT CAN BE RECREATED
IN AN EFFORT THAT BRANDS MIGHT DESIGN PROGRAMMING THAT TOO HAS CULTURAL CONTAGION
@Marctothec
42
BUILD AROUND PEOPLE DESIGNED FOR TRUST ALLOCATION
(CREDENCE)
MAKE IT EASY TO ADOPT
(COVERS)
DON’T GOT AT IT ALONE
(CO-INCENTIVES)
MAKE IT SEEMINGLY UBIQUITOUS
(CONCURRENCE)
(CONTENT)

43. THE CONTAGION COOKBOOK:
CULTURALLY LICENSED ENABLES DIVERSITY SETS THE TABLE PERCEIVED UBIQUITY
CONTENT CREDENCE CO-INCENTIVES
COVERS CONCURRENCE
@Marctothec
AUDIENCE AT THE CENTER INVITED TO PARTICIPATE
43
TRUE TO BRAND
SOURCE THEY TRUST PERSONALLY INVESTED SOCIALLY INCLUDED

44. @Marctothec
THANK YOU MUCH!
44