Celebrities have jumped on board to join the latest charity selfie craze – mere months after the ice bucket challenge set social media on fire.
Just when you thought it was safe to look on Facebook and Twitter again without being bombarded with selfies, UNICEF has launched the #WakeUpCall selfie.
The charity is encouraging people to send a snap as soon as they open their eyes to raise money and awareness for the 80,000 Syrian refugees currently living in Zaatari camp in Jordan.
#WAKEUPCALL Text SYRIA to 70007 to give £5. http://t.co/Urt3n8y6WE. Nominate @Misskeeleyhawes @EmWatson @josierourke pic.twitter.com/30a8RykcW9
— Tom Hiddleston (@twhiddleston) October 6, 2014
Amongst the first celebrities to show their puffy-eyed, wild-haired morning selfies have been Jeremy Clarkson and Tom Hiddleston with Stephen Fry warning his followers to ‘look away’.
#WAKEUPCALL SYRIA Unless you donate at http://t.co/XbHKmi3YPh I will post more pictures of Blumenthal and me. pic.twitter.com/n8JmWl4mac
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) October 8, 2014
#WAKEUPCALL Text SYRIA to 70007 (to give £5) or http://t.co/xGAxIU755i (I warn you – look away) pic.twitter.com/DoGvA65s1s
— Stephen Fry (@stephenfry) October 6, 2014
Model Naomi Campbell looked stunning in her morning selfie, appearing to wake up in a full face of makeup.
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#WAKEUPCALL Text SYRIA to 70007 (& donate £5). It’s for the 6.5 Million Syrian children effected by conflict (via #UNICEF). Post a photo or video of yourself when you wake up, and pass this message.
Following the success of the Ice Bucket Challenge which raised millions for ALS, the startling power of a social media campaign to raise awareness is not in doubt.
However, critics have slammed the Ice Bucket Challenge, referring to the participants as ‘slacktivists’ who were being rewarded for laziness and wasting water.
The mass participation in the challenge begged the question as to whether people were donating with the intention of helping or simply just enjoying throwing buckets over one another.
With social media being bombarded with the ‘cock in a sock’, ‘no makeup selfie’ and ‘ice bucket challenge’ in recent months, MM asked:
Is the latest craze taking social media fundraising campaigns a step too far?
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Opinion |
Results |
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Yes |
33% |
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No |
42% |
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Undecided |
25% |
Tameside students Jess Bulman and Lauri Dale, both 17, agreed that the selfie craze still serves its purpose of raising money and awareness.
Jess said: “I don’t see why anyone would have an issue with it when it’s for a good cause. Everyone gets credited for their charity work but it’s recognised more on social media.”
Lauri said: “I think it still raises awareness and it makes people think and put yourself in that situation. From my experience the people who don’t do it just donate more.”
ALL GOOD: Lauri Dale (l) and Jess Bulman are well behind the campaigns
Paulina Wielewicka, 17, a student from Central Manchester said: “It’s all for a good cause isn’t it, the Ice Bucket Challenge raised millions so I don’t think it has gone too far no.”
Joanne Smith from Castlefield, who works in marketing said: “I don’t really use social media, I have to use it for work but I find it fascinating how people document every element of their lives.
“The selfies are good to raise awareness but it is a digital domain I would never participate in.”
Sarah Jones, who works and lives in central Manchester, 29, said: “Personally I don’t do them but they are a good idea for raising money and awareness, and as long as it is doing that it is not an issue for me.”
Sainsbury’s worker Lauren Portman, 23, from the city centre, said: “Of course, if it raises money then its good but I do think it’s gone too far and it is getting irritating. They need to think of something new in my opinion.”
IT’S JUST FOR ATTENTION: Rose Cleare thinks charity is secondary in crazes
Rose Cleare, a 19-year-old insurance worker from Warden, was on the fence about the recent craze.
She said: “I’m not too sure about it all to be honest. I think there are some people who aren’t donating and that just do it for attention.”
City centre hairdresser James Ferrell-Roberts, 25, was undecided but felt that the selfie craze is getting a bit irritating.
He said: “Some people just send pictures of themselves posing for attention and some of the wake-up call selfies are not real morning selfies are they, but it’s always good to raise awareness for a charity.”
Ancoats native Matt Rice, 32, who works in marketing, felt that the selfie craze is getting a bit old.
He said: “The reason people did the no make-up selfies and the ice bucket challenge was because no one had done it before and it was a different way of raising awareness but it’s all getting a bit old now and they need to think of something new.”
Emily Mills, 30, an internet product manager from Ancoats, said: “It is irritating when you know a lot of people don’t donate.”
Charlotte Aston, a 19-year-old student from the city centre, said: “This whole craze is only good if people are actually donating and aren’t just doing it to get likes on Facebook and Instagram.”
Sue Harris, 31 from Rochdale, who has just become a mum, said: “I know it’s all for a good cause and that’s great, we should all do more for charity, but the ice bucket challenge has finally stopped and now the new craze means were backed to clogged-up newsfeeds.”
To donate £5 to #WakeUpCall text SYRIA to 70007.
Image courtesy of ALS Ice Bucket Chal;lenge via YouTube with thanks
