For those of us who cover marketing and social media every day, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge represents the holy grail: a viral social media phenomenon. The campaign is sheer genius, and it couldn't be for a better cause: finding a cure for ALS. (As of today, just one of the ALS nonprofits involved, the ALS Association, says it has raised $79.7 million since July 29, compared with only $2.5 million during the same period last year.)
For those of us who cover marketing and social media every day, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge represents the holy grail: a viral social media phenomenon. The campaign is sheer genius, and it couldn't be for a better cause: finding a cure for ALS. (As of today, just one of the ALS nonprofits involved, the ALS Association, says it has raised $79.7 million since July 29, compared with only $2.5 million during the same period last year.)
For the handful of people who still don't know about it, people are dared to dump ice water over their heads or donate to ALS research (or both). They then pass the same challenge on. The dare has been taken on by everyone from former President George W. Bush to Bill Gates and Jimmy Fallon. This week I received the challenge from my friend Joshua Crossman of PTL Hardwoods in Yelm, Wash. Here goes:
I look forward to seeing the videos from my industry friends I nominated: Michael Martin of the National Wood Flooring Association, HF blogger Wayne Lee of Middle Tennessee Hardwoods and NWFA BOD member and regional instructor Joe Rocco of Artistic Floors by Design in Parker, Colo.!
When Joshua nominated me, he also nominated HF blogger Scott Avery. You can see Scott take on the challenge and pass it on to three more hardwood flooring friends here:
If you'd like to donate, with or without dumping ice water on your head, there are many options, including the ALS Association and the ALS Therapy Development Institute, which targets 100 percent of its donations to ALS research.