We all spent the summer of 2014 watching endless videos of our friends and our favorite celebrities dumping ice water on their heads. The 2014 ALS Ice Bucket Challenge was visually engaging and viral. We just couldn’t tear our eyes away.
The summer phenomenon raised over $100 million in a month for the ALS Association, and actually produced meaningful results, leaving other causes wondering how they could replicate its success.
The truth is, we may never know how to reproduce the magic of the Ice Bucket Challenge of 2014. But it had some valuable factors every organization should incorporate in its campaigns:
This summer, Major League Baseball once again embraced the Ice Bucket Challenge, and showed how they learned from the summer of 2014.
Every MLB team produced videos of players, coaches, mascots and staff members braving the cold and challenging each other. The challenge pulls at baseball fans’ heartstrings because of the ALS connection to baseball legend Lou Gehrig, so it’s a great opportunity for the teams to unite and share messaging.
The videos are personal and authentic.
The Los Angeles Angels challenged the Atlanta Braves to complete the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge & Gomes, Peterson & Murphy accepted! Challenge completed! Now we nominate…the Toronto Blue Jays! #EveryAugustUntilACure
Posted by Atlanta Braves on Wednesday, August 5, 2015
They’re short and easy to watch.
They catch your attention and make you want to share.
Thanks Mets for the ALS #ALSIceBucketChallenge nomination. We accept: http://atmlb.com/1N3tJm1 #EveryAugustUntilACure
Posted by Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday, August 30, 2015
The impact of the MLB’s 2015 campaign probably won’t match that of the 2014 Ice Bucket Challenge. But that’s ok. These videos will still make a difference to the ALS Association and people affected by ALS, and they will make a difference to people who love baseball.
The videos give fans a window into something new – whether they highlight a team’s sense of humor or shine the spotlight on team staff members who are usually behind-the-scenes.
So while the videos from the MLB’s challenge might not be filling everyone’s newsfeeds, they are a meaningful way for the MLB to communicate visually with baseball fans – another excellent (and perhaps unexpected) outcome of the Ice Bucket Challenge.
