The videos filled your Facebook and Twitter feeds for weeks. Everyone from your great aunt to your favorite actor to politicians jumped on the bandwagon and doused themselves with ice-cold water all in the name of charity.
Whether you love it, hate it or experienced the challenge’s chill firsthand, it’s official: The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, in all its cold, wet glory, is a bona fide social media success. But it’s far from the first online marketing campaign to go viral. Here are five social media campaigns — and what you need to know about them — that have made a substantial impact on an organization’s efforts to raise awareness or funds for its cause.
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Did we miss one that stood out to you? Let us know in the comments!
Tag: Ellen Degeneres
Why a Talk-Show Host Rewarded This Kindhearted Man With $10,000
While stories about natural disasters, death, and bickering politicians dominate the airwaves, all’s not bad with the world. We think that good deeds should not go unnoticed. And fortunately, neither does a popular television talk show host.
One such kind act that deserves to be recognized is performed weekly by Derrick Walton.
Some years back, a few bad choices left Walton living on the streets. After finding his way back on his feet, he’s now the proud owner of Chef D’s Rock Power Pizza in Des Moines, Iowa. But the nice story doesn’t end there. Walton, who has seen his share of tough times, makes sure he gives back to the community. Every Monday, the 47-year-old closes his restaurant so that homeless and needy families can eat for free. This he does out of the goodness of his own heart and pays for it out of his own pocket.
“I made a promise that if I ever got in a position where I could help somebody, I would give something back,” he told Yahoo! Shine in February.
MORE: The Restaurant Without a Cash Register
As you can see in the video above, this inspiring story made its way to Ellen DeGeneres, who not only invited Walton to the show to talk about his business, but also to present him with a check for $10,000 to help him continue his good work. (Who doesn’t love a giant cardboard check?!) The gesture immediately brought Walton to tears.
“I didn’t know where the money was going to come from, and I knew I just had to keep these doors open no matter what,” Walton said after the show. “The people that come in there truly inspire me to continue to do this.”
Infographic: How Social Media Is Used For Social Good
Bluehost has created a spiffy infographic detailing how social media is being used by people to create positive social outcomes for society. As charities, nonprofits and businesses are becoming more like social enterprises, we’re seeing Americans really care about where their dollars are going. Among the notable statistics:
- 83% of Americans want brands to support causes
- 41% of people bought a product because it was associate with a cause
- >90% of people should be giving in the communities where they do business
The infographic also displays some of the charity campaigns that went viral through social media, including Malaria No More, It Gets Better Project and the World Wildlife Fund.