Context of Practice: OUGD601 - Social 'Viral Fad' Influence

An interesting point to consider is that not all memes are physical tangible artefacts;

'Planking'
'The Ice Bucket Challenge'
'The Harlem Shake
The Cinnamon Challenge
Egg Nominations
Dabbing

For example are all expressions or challenges which are spread throughout popular culture using the internet to spread the concept globally. The statistics reveal that these 'fads' have a short lifespan however, their impact on society can be detrimental with huge revenue being made in the case of 'The Ice Bucket Challenge' raising millions of pounds for charity. It is also important to note that no commercial companies have yet utilised this technique within their advertising campaigns. After the feedback critique session in the blog post OUGD601- Practical Project Critique Session & Feedback, a similar idea was discussed based on my 'Just Do It' meme campaign for Nike. This has given my practical project influence in the form of a Nike '#Just Do It' advertising campaign further expanded upon in the blog post OUGD601 - #Just Do It Campaign Concept & Manifesto

The Harlem Shake

http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/harlem-shake

Planking

http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/planking

2014 Ice Bucket Challenge

Two summers ago, the challenge, designed to raise money for research into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, took the internet by storm. Supporters ended up raising over $115 million for the A.L.S. Association.

Over two years, money from the challenge has helped fund the research and development of treatment drugs and has been used as prize money to entice people to design technology for people living with the disease, which causes a rapid breakdown in a person’s ability to control muscle movement.

The association released a chart last year showing where the funds went:

• $77 million, or 67 percent, went to research.

• $23 million, or 20 percent, went to patient and community services.

• $10 million, or 9 percent, went to public and professional education.

• $3 million, or 2 percent, went to fund-raising.

• And $2 million, roughly another 2 percent, went to payment processing fees.

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/28/health/the-ice-bucket-challenge-helped-scientists-discover-a-new-gene-tied-to-als.html