This presentation investigates the influence of social media on viral marketing. This analysis considers two social media events that have helped raise millions of dollars for charity causes.

1. Viral Marketing: Harnessing the
Power of Social Media
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By: Allison Chow
FILM 240
Queen’s University

2. 80% of online users
between the ages of
12-17 use a social
media platform.5
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3. This gives today’s youth
a voice that allows
them to be heard
like never before.
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4. Businesses and campaigns must
focus their efforts on how to
harness the power of social media.
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5. In 2010, Bell Canada launched the Bell Let’s Talk
mental health initiative where for every…
#BellLetsTalk tweet
Bell Lets Talk image share
Bell phone call
Bell text message
…in 28.5 hours, Bell will donate 5¢ more to
Canadian mental health programs.2
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6. This fundraising method uses social context advertising for the
one day of the year that #BellLetsTalk goes viral.
People are likely to participate in the initiative because the
campaign encourages social media use for the purposes of making
donations on behalf of Bell Canada.6
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7. The association principle links social
media sharing of Bell Let’s Talk to
youth empowerment by making teens feel
like they can make a difference in
mental health awareness.6
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8. Many people are able to relate to the importance
of mental health awareness.
The simplicity of the Bell Let’s Talk hashtag allows
users to personalize how they wish to spread the
message based on their own thoughts and
experiences.7
Why is this so successful?
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9. “…teens who are on social media for
more than two hours a day, a full one
quarter of students in the study, report
poor self-rated mental health…”8
-Cyberpsychology, Behaviour, and Social Networking journal
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10. The Bell Let’s Talk campaign serves to let online
users battling mental health know that they are not
alone in their fight.
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11. %100.00%%
%105.00%%
%110.00%%
%115.00%%
%120.00%%
%125.00%%
%130.00%%
2014% 2015% 2016%
Interac(ons+(million)+
Year+
In six years, Bell has raised
$79,919,178.55 for mental health1,10,12.
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12. “Thanks%to%social%media,%young%people%have%a%
plaZorm%for%enacTng%internaTonal%change.”9%
;%Elite%Daily%%
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13. In the summer of 2014, the ALS Ice Bucket
Challenge went viral on social media.13
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14. Step%1%
• Have%a%bucket%of%ice%water%poured%on%the%parTcipant's%head.%
Step%2%
• Nominate%friends%to%do%the%same.%
Step%3%
• Make%a%monetary%contribuTon%to%the%ALS%AssociaTon.%
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15. Within eight weeks, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
raised $115 million for patients battling Lou Gehrig's
disease. Of this, $77 million was dedicated to research
for a cure.13
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16. “…the audience effect: a significant increase in the
willingness to donate caused by the presence of
observers…simply observing others participate in the
Ice Bucket Challenge dramatically increased the odds
that you would accept the challenge when asked.”11
-Forbes
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17. Celebrity participation in the Ice Bucket Challenge was a
form of unplanned celebrity endorsement.6 !
!
This gave fans the illusion of unity and working towards
a common goal with their role models.!
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18. Both the Bell Let’s Talk campaign and the
ALS Ice Bucket Challenge are examples of
earned media for Bell Canada and the
ALS Association.3
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19. Bell%Let’s%Talk%
depended%on%
Facebook%shares,%
and%Twi2er%tweets/
retweets%to%spread%
mental%health%
awareness%and%raise%
money.%
The%Ice%Bucket%
Challenge%depended%
on%Facebook,%Twi2er,%
and%Instagram%videos%
to%prove%that%the%
challenge%was%
completed,%a%donaTon%
was%made,%and%three%
other%candidates%were%
nominated.%
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20. Key Ingredients to Viral Marketing 4
Clearly identify the goal
Keep the task simple and fun
Add a certain sense of urgency
Understand exponential growth
Make it easy to share with others online
Boost the participant’s self-esteem
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21. The influence and power of social media on the
online population will continue to mold the way
marketing is carried out in the future.
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22. Photo%by%Viktor%Hanacek.%h2ps://picjumbo.com/evening;traffic;on;the;golden;gate;bridge/%
References%
%
1.%Bell%Canada%Enterprises,.%Thank%You%Canada:%A%New%Bell%Let's%Talk%Day%Record%With%
125,915,295%Calls,%Texts,%Tweets%And%Shares%;%And%$%6,295,764.75%More%For%Canadian%Mental%
Health!.%2016.%Web.%23%Oct.%2016.%
%
2.%"Bell%Let's%Talk%|%Clara%Hughes".%Clara;hughes.com.%N.p.,%2016.%Web.%23%Oct.%2016.%
%
3.%Benne2,%Shea.%Paid,%Owned,%And%Earned%Media:%What's%The%Difference?.%2014.%Web.%23%Oct.%
2016.%
%
4.%Boko,%Gabrielle.%"6%Viral;MarkeTng%Lessons%To%Learn%From%The%Ice%Bucket%Challenge".%
Entrepreneur.%N.p.,%2014.%Web.%23%Oct.%2016.%
%
5.%Madden,%Mary%et%al.%Teens,%Social%Media,%And%Privacy.%Washington,%D.C.:%The%Berkman%Center%
for%Internet%&%Society%at%Harvard%University,%2013.%Web.%23%Oct.%2016.%
%
6.%Matrix,%Sydneyeve.%"Module%2:%PromoTonal%Media".%2016.%Lecture.%
%
7.%"Nine%Reasons%Bell's%"Let's%Talk"%Campaign%Works".%engageQ%Digital%CommunicaTons.%N.p.,%
2015.%Web.%23%Oct.%2016.%

23. Photo%by%Viktor%Hanacek.%h2ps://picjumbo.com/evening;traffic;on;the;golden;gate;bridge/%
%
%
8.%Payne,%Elizabeth.%"Teen's%Poor%Mental%Health%Linked%To%Social%Media%Use".%O2awa%CiTzen%
2015:%A1.%Web.%23%Oct.%2016.%
%
9.%Pohl,%Jill.%"How%Social%Media%Empowers%Our%GeneraTon%To%Fight%For%Global%Causes".%Elite%
Daily.%N.p.,%2015.%Web.%23%Oct.%2016.%
%
10.%"Record;Breaking%$6.2M%Raised%For%Mental%Health%During%Bell%Let’S%Talk%Day".%London.%N.p.,%
2016.%Web.%23%Oct.%2016.%
%
11.%Smith,%Rick.%"The%Science%Behind%The%Success%Of%The%ALS%Ice%Bucket%Challenge".%Forbes.com.%
N.p.,%2014.%Web.%23%Oct.%2016.%
%
12.%That,%Corrine%Ton.%"Bell's%'Let's%Talk'%Day%Raises%Nearly%$5.5M%For%Mental%Health%IniTaTves".%
CTVNews.%N.p.,%2014.%Web.%23%Oct.%2016.%
%
13.%The%ALS%AssociaTon,.%Infographic%Of%Progress%Since%The%Ice%Bucket%Challenge.%2016.%Web.%23%
Oct.%2016.%