Without wishing to sound too PR about it, the power of social media has been illustrated yet again with the huge success of the #nomakeupselfie which has raised £8m to date for Cancer Research.
Its exact origin isn’t entirely clear but in the UK it’s being attributed to teenage mum, Fiona Cunningham. The campaign quickly snowballed after she set up a Facebook page and selfies were soon popping up across a variety of social media channels. Celebrities have also jumped on the bandwagon, helping to raise even more awareness and spread the message across the world. A truly viral campaign which has had real impact - stuff of dreams for us PRs.
Its simplicity is perhaps the underlying reason why it’s been so successful. Most people have smart phones and selfies have firmly cemented themselves in popular culture. It also ticks a box for our own brand of CSR, giving us a warm fuzzy feeling while also letting the world know we’re supporting a cause. However, as seems to be par for the course nowadays, with any online/social media phenomenon, it’s not been without its critics.
Ranging from people attacking Coronation Street actress Michelle Keegan for using it as a form of self promotion and claiming she wasn't actually makeup free, to some questioning the point of just posting a photo without actually making a donation. There was also the confusion surrounding which word you had to text to make a donation which resulted in some money going to different charities.
Surely though, when it’s raised enough money in the UK alone to fund ten clinical trials, the winner here is the fight against cancer and isn’t that the point? I’ve also seen people posting pictures of how to check your breasts and if that helps just one woman make an early diagnosis which might help save her life, it’s a success in my book.
Bethan Simkins
Account Director
