4 Viral Charity Campaigns
The internet has changed the way charities raise money. Instead of asking donors to contribute through hard-copy correspondence, nonprofits now create interactive campaigns that go viral through the web. If you pay attention to viral charity campaigns, you might remember some of the following four successful examples.
#NoMakeupSelfie
The #NoMakeupSelfie asked women to do the unthinkable: post selfies of themselves without any makeup or filters. The campaign wasn’t only about showing what women really look like, however. The idea was a virtual charity event that raised more than 8 million pounds (about $1.3 million) for cancer research in the United Kingdom.
The viral charity campaign quickly caught on with female celebrities such as Cameron Diaz, Cindy Crawford, and Jessica Alba. The real star, however, was Beyoncé. Using her Samsung smartphone, like the Galaxy S6 smartphone available on T-Mobile’s network, she looked as beautiful as ever.
Noticing her braided hair and glowing skin in the image, you might have trouble deciding whether she was using a special effect. Then, of course, you remember that she’s Beyoncé, and she can do anything. Perhaps she veered slightly from the charity’s message, but some celebs don’t need makeup to look amazing.
ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
Image via Flickr by Anthony Quintano
The Ice Bucket Challenge might be the most famous viral charity campaign of all time. This campaign not only helped increase awareness about the neurodegenerative disease ALS, but also raised $115 million.
In case you don’t remember, the Ice Bucket Challenge attracted all types of celebrity attention, including comedic actors such as Chris Pratt, basketball stars like LeBron James, and media moguls like Oprah. Hearing Oprah scream when someone dumped a bucket of ice over her head was nothing less than priceless.
Movember
The name Movember sounds a little funny to Americans. The term combines the month November and “mo,” an Australian word for mustache. Perhaps that’s why some people decided to call it No-Shave November instead. No matter how you say it, the annual event raises about $20 million each year with funds benefiting men’s health research.
The Movember charity started in 2004, but the effort didn’t catch on as an internet phenomenon until smartphones enabled men to share pictures of their hairy faces. Now, your Facebook timeline and Twitter feed get full of bearded men every November.
Even if Movember didn’t raise any money, the campaign would still carry out the goal of raising awareness about issues such as prostate cancer and depression.
Batkid
Some viral charity campaigns try to raise money and awareness for causes that affect millions of people. The Batkid campaign, however, focused on one brave little boy fighting cancer. Miles Scott obsessed over Batman. He loved the movies, the comics, and anything else related to Batman. So when the Make-A-Wish Foundation asked him what he would like, he said he wanted to become Batman.
A huge social media campaign helped convince San Francisco to turn some of its streets into Gotham City for one day. During that day, Miles got to become Batman and get all the attention a superhero deserves. President Obama showed up and the San Francisco Chronicle published a special issue “Gotham City Chronicle.”
A biographical movie, “Batkid Begins: The Wish Heard Around the World,” tells the touching story in detail. You have to watch it the next time you’re in the mood to shed happy tears.
Wonderful spoiler alert: Miles beats cancer! One can imagine that the attention he received that day gave him an emotional boost that may have helped his cancer go into remission.
Charities have many ways to raise money. They can hold events, ask for change at intersections, and distribute mailings and appeals. However, when nonprofits need to increase the level of campaign awareness, though, you can’t beat a viral campaign for a way to make an impact. Now that more than half of the residents in the United States own smartphones, a funny, inspiring, or attention-getting message can reach millions of people within days and give charities a way to build engagement with people ready to become involved in making a difference.
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