The Ice Bucket Challenge - Has it lost its purpose?

By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88

It has become the latest internet craze and it is raising money for causes that deserve it. However, the Ice Bucket Challenge, which has seen actors & actresses, musicians, TV personalities and sports stars raise awareness for ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), is threatening to get out of control.

Questions are starting to be raised about the point of the challenge and has it lost its edge/purpose? I promote more background on the Ice Bucket craze and give my view on the summer sensation online.

The idea

So, the Ice Bucket Challenge does exactly what it says on the tin (excuse the pun). It involves people dumping a bucket of ice over themselves, or being assisted in this way by another member of a team, whether that is a family member, relationship partner or work colleague (group pictured conducting the challenge below).

A group of people in Sunderland undertake the Ice Bucket Challenge

The act has to be filmed and the video is then posted online, usually onto social media channels like Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The person doing the challenge then usually nominates 3-5 people to do the same and give them a timeframe to do the challenge, often between 24-48 hours.

Of course, this isn’t something that should be done for fun or a pointless laugh. A charitable donation has to be made to complete the challenge. In America, which is where the craze got underway, it is often towards the ALS association, whilst over here in the UK, the regular charity benefiting from this is the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

It all sounds simple, or does it?

Celebrity impact

The challenge starting receiving impact in June this year, when personalities from a breakfast programme in the US did the challenge live on-air.

The craze then started to spread with donations being made and more celebrities being nominated. Even Barack Obama and David Cameron were nominated to do the challenge. Wisely, both declined and made just a donation instead. Whilst it could be seen as a bit of good-humoured fun, could you imagine the amount of flak that Cameron would get if he did this? Ed Miliband would have a field day at PMQ’s!

Many other famous faces or familiar names have done their bit though. They include the likes of Susan Boyle, Mark Zuckerberg, Oprah Winfrey, Lewis Hamilton, Lady Gaga and George W. Bush.

Even TV characters have done it, including Kermit the Frog from the Muppets and Homer Simpson from the Simpsons (video below of Homer’s challenge)

More recently, I’ve seen my News Feed, especially on Facebook plastered with my friends and colleagues doing the challenge and being nominated. The spread of this ‘bug’ has been massive.

Happy and sad endings

The main charity cause IBC has helped on these shores is the Motor Neurone Disease Association.  In my case, I do charity donations anyway, and however small this can be, it makes me feel pleased to be giving something back. Recently, the British Heart Foundation sent me a letter to celebrate the first year anniversary of giving money to their fight against heart disease on a monthly basis.

My donations are helping the British Heart Foundation fund groundbreaking heart medicine to save people lives. A case study of this was received as part of the letter I received last month. 18 months into her life, Lauren Burns was diagnosed with a hole in her heart. She underwent major surgery and when complications occurred from this, Lauren spent three months hooked up to a life support machine, fighting for her life. Doctors gave her little hope of survival, but nine years on, Lauren is walking, talking and behaving like many girls of her age band. My donation is helping the BHF and allows more people like Lauren in the UK to come back from the brink and live the quality of life they are today. It is these stories that can have a happy ending.

More notably, Sky Sports F1 presenter Natalie Pinkham has been on a remarkable journey in the last three years with a cause close to her heart. In 1999, Natalie worked in an orphanage in Romania and developed a close bond with a young child, called Mirela. After a moving visit to find Mirela 12 years later, Natalie, with the help of her Grand Prix connections and the charity Hope & Homes for Children, set out to raise £200,000 to build a home for Mirela and her siblings. The story was followed in two moving documentaries for Channel 5. With Natalie’s determination and the help of others, the target was achieved and Mirela and other children were able to move into their new home at the start of 2014. As the home can provide a decent quality of life, it gave Mirela a proper home she could grow up in. 

Sadly in early March, Mirela passed away from acute cardio-respiratory failure, just four days after A Home for Mirela was screened on Channel 5. It was a sad ending to an emotional and very moving journey.

Has IBC lost its edge?

The more videos of the Ice Bucket Challenge go online, the more the craze continues but it begs the question though, that despite the money being raised – has it lost its edge?

There could be a concern that some are doing the challenge and then not following up with a promised donation. I hope that is not the case. There are no accusations being made, but I’m sure there is the odd person who hasn’t thought too much about why they are doing the IBC.

If you have been nominated, I’d do it and make the donation. There are special cases and like I mentioned earlier, the media would have a field day if the President of the United States or our own PM did it when the world we live in is experiencing plenty of worldwide conflict. There isn’t a law for not doing the challenge, but at least make a donation if nominated.

There are critics out there in regards to the Ice Bucket Challenge. The waste of water has been mentioned. This is a very valid point, but if donations are being made to various charities, not just the ones first benefiting, then I think it cancels out this argument.

Also, some have taken it too far, with reports of a bullying case in the United States recently on a child who suffers from autism. The important thing about IBC is not to take it seriously. It is a bit of light-hearted fun. At the end of the day though, make sure to remember why you are doing it. You are doing it to help other causes, not to make yourself look like a fool on YouTube and bask in the limelight for it.

Like the no make-up selfie in March, the Ice Bucket Challenge has raised awareness and that is a good thing. I’m sure there will be something else of a groundbreaking context that will sweep social media channels next year. It might be the way to go in the future when it comes to regular donations.

However, the power of the internet can also carry a poisonous edge to it. IBC is the internet craze of the summer but it is starting to lose the ‘cool’ effect. Maybe it is time to put this onto the scrapheap and think of something else. As long as various charities are benefiting from these campaigns, it is good, but it does need to remain fresh in the minds and not become a repetitive stunt.

Categories: America, Charity, Ice, Ice Bucket Challenge, Internet, Money, Social Media, TV, UK, Water

BBC cutbacks - Was axing BBC Three the right move?

By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88

There was shock and complete surprise earlier this week (starting 3^rd March) when rumours spread of one of BBC’s channels was about to face the chop. In order to meet agreed spending figures by the end of 2016, the Beeb have decided to axe BBC Three – one of the most popular channels for a young target audience.

BBC Three has been the home to plenty of new talents, with successes such as Being Human, Little Britain and Gavin & Stacey being eventually picked up by mainstream channels after its first success on the platform. Other shows including The Fades, Torchwood, Don’t Tell the Bride, Lip Service and Free Speech have won rave reviews for its content shown. Alongside its quality programming, BBC Three has opened new doors to upcoming comedians, musicians and actors who want to make the big time but need to make their name first.

So despite the announcement that its content will move online in future, why is this cutback move by British Broadcasting Corporation a wrong move, especially where other expensive avenues could have saved itself from the backlash it has received.

Cutbacks are required

First of all, the BBC has had to make savings in a number of areas to meet agreed cutbacks put in by the BBC Trust. This has already involved movement of programmes to cheaper locations such as MediaCity in Salford and Cardiff, job losses and the decision not to renew some of its popular dramas and sport rights to meet the required targets.

Outlined three years ago, 2000 jobs were set to go by 2017 with a further 1000 people set to be relocated to newer parts of the UK. Television Centre was closed down last year as Broadcasting House became the new home for the corporation in London which is where the majority of the BBC’s news content, both national and local is now outputted from.

£47m a year was planned to be saved from 2011 until 2016 with the BBC Asian Network and BBC HD facing the biggest reduction in content programming. BBC HD has since become BBC Two HD last year.

Shows and events that have been the victim of such vicious but crucial cuts have included crime drama Ripper Street, sci-fi series Survivors, store drama The Paradise, comedy My Family, Alan Sugar’s The Young Apprentice and live rights to horse racing and MotoGP.

Officially becoming BBC Three in 2003 after being initially launched as recently as 1998 as BBC Choice, BBC Three attracts 13m viewers per week of its content. However despite its fairly short lifespan, the percentage of 16-34 age range who watches the programmes and the total viewers per week, the Director General of the BBC Tony Hall has made a difficult but wrong call in giving BBC Three the boot.  

What will happen to BBC Three?

The news to axe BBC Three has been met with much disapproval, not just from fans of the channel and casual viewers like me but comedians like Russell Kane and even BBC Radio One DJ Greg James. However, unless the BBC Trust decides to block the plans announced last week, this is what will happen to the channel. That doesn’t mean to say they won’t do that. Three years ago, the Trust blocked plans to shut BBC Radio 6 Music and the Asian Network.

The plan is for BBC Three to close as a TV channel in autumn 2015 and Freeview viewers will see it replaced by BBC One+1. While a +1 is needed for its mainstream channel to rival ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5, a home for this would have been more appropriate rather than to replace a popular channel like BBC Three.

The BBC's decision to move BBC Three onto an online platform has received criticism

It will be re-innovated as an online channel only on the iPlayer catch-up service, although it is more likely that only programming will be found on here rather than the remains of the channel. It is reported that the BBC (building pictured above) will make £50m in savings with this controversial move, although to chuck £30m into more drama programming on BBC One makes the decision more of a mockery. If cutbacks had to be made, make them and keep them rather than spend more on what is likely to be more episodes of dreary Walford soap opera EastEnders.

Director General Hall said on Thursday when the plans were made public that it was “strategically right” and “financially necessary.” You can’t really argue with his latter statement but the first comment doesn’t feel right.

86.9% on the media website Digital Spy last week believed axing BBC Three is the wrong decision and a #SaveBBC3 petition hit 85,000 in less than 48 hours after being launched last week on Change.org by fan of the channel Jono Read. It has been signed by many including this writer, but also by the likes of Rick Edwards, David Walliams and Matt Lucas. 

What could have gone instead?

£100m of savings are required by 2016, so for anyone to suggest that the BBC should do nothing doesn’t quite understand the world of finances. There are other areas though which might have brought the corporation closer to its target without annoying a huge core section of its young target audience.

BBC Three’s channel budget in 2013/14 is reported to be £85m but the £49m to give BBC Four the boot would have been a more logical solution if a channel had to close.

BBC Four’s impact on the UK TV audience has been mundane. In fact, I can’t ever remember watching a programme on it to be honest. It might provide a good home for historical programmes looking back at the past, as well as a mixture of arts shows but this content could easily slot onto BBC Two without a huge fuss.

Hall believes the BBC Three audience are ready for the move to watching TV online and while it is true that television can be watched in a number of different areas and devices, it will be interesting to see if the target audience follow the move. I somehow highly doubt it.

With the new competition of BT Sport now firmly in the sporting spectrum, the BBC’s sporting deals should come up for review. Whilst areas like the Six Nations, Premier League football highlights and Wimbledon deserve to be saved from any cutbacks, other sports could go.

The BBC could have decided to axe its deal to show Formula One. Sadly the sport has entered a generation of insipid racing, complicated technological changes and the same driver keeps winning, just like the ITV Schumacher days of the last decade.  

In 2011, they saved £16.5m a year by deciding to share the live race rights with Sky Sports, who have since launched their own dedicated channel to great success and critical acclaim. The BBC has been left behind and by moving more of its coverage onto BBC Two since the new agreement; it suggests a lack of motivation in making the deal a success. While a new season begins next week in Australia – the significant drop in audience figures and the estimated £40m cost for a typical championship would have brought the BBC even closer to its target.

With £11m to find, cuts in regional programming, highlight packages for Rugby League and the Football League and ending the National Lottery programmes might have taken them to within that £100m savings mark.

Is there hope for the BBC Three audience?

I think it is fair to say that the decision to drop BBC Three as a TV channel has been met with a lot of disapproval from fans and even celebrities.

By turning it into an online channel – the BBC has giving its rivals in the television market a huge advantage as a growing number might feel the corporation takes their feedback and dedication to their services for granted.

Cutbacks need to be made, no-one should argue about that but this feels like a move that didn’t need to be made. Give Tony Hall a thought; he is in a difficult position to meet the final spending cut targets and this is a gamble but it is fair to say that thousands disagree with his thinking.

There is hope for the BBC Three audience in that the BBC Trust could block the move and it seems like there is greater support than there was to save 6 Music and the Asian Network in 2011 when they were in a similar position. To save those radio stations was cheaper though, so while it is important to keep hope, don’t expect the Trust to prohibit the move. As long as they hear both sides of the argument next month, then you have to accept whatever is their final decision.

If it does disappear as a TV channel, it is a great shame but it did provide some great British talent to come through onto our screens over the past decade.  

Categories: Audience, BBC, BBC iPlayer, BBC Three, Being Human, Matt Lucas, Money, Online, Tony Hall, TV

Why Amazon isn't always the best place to buy gadgets online

By Simon Wright - Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88

This article was first commissioned by TheRankTank

The buying habits of the everyday shopper have changed considerably. Retail outlets continue to diminish, as a solid proportion of us opt to do our shopping online. Gone are the days of heading to Woolworths or Jessops to pick up a bargain, or get the excellent customer service we rely on. Today the likes of Amazon dominate our thoughts, whilst many retail stores have had to embrace the change in habits, and make a viable business online.

Amazon has been an online leader, but there are some downsides

For many years, Amazon (warehouse pictured) has been the preferred choice to buy gadgets online. However it isn’t always the best place to purchase the latest technological advances, from cameras and game consoles, to iPods/MP3 players.

Before committing to buying online, make sure to check out the latest deals. Sure, Amazon is going to be on many people’s shopping list. They definitely do an excellent range of products but it might not be the best deal around. The process can be time-consuming but it will be better in the long run to save money if a more specialised website is offering the same product you are after that Amazon has. In that way, having knowledge of online shopping websites before you begin is advantageous. There’s eBay, the standard online shop from retail stores, Play.com or specialist shops. For example, the choice of printer cartridges is better on Amazon, but prices are often far more expensive to a specialist shop like Printerbasics.com.  

When going to shop on Amazon, the important face-to-face transaction with shop assistants is lost. In the recession, the success of the online market has driven gadget-driven stores like Comet to the wall, whilst others such as HMV and Game have been in administration. It is fine to shop online and again, Amazon can offer a better range, and handy information about the product but not the technical information that might be required. Consumers after a new tablet or laptop should always try Currys/PC World. The sales assistants are there to do a job, will offer tremendous service to buyers and nine times out of ten, you’ll walk out of the store with the latest model and a huge smile on your face for the faultless shopping experience. No matter what they try, Amazon can’t offer this.

The risk of shopping online is the quality of the product. Amazon does offer some quick delivery options and free shipping of products, but third-party websites won’t, and that could mean paying over the odds for the item the customer is after. The service is not always totally reliable, and the estimated dispatch date can be inaccurate. Be aware of high postage charges on Amazon. At the end of the day, they are a business just like anyone else who want your money and are keen to make a handy profit at the end of the year.

Amazon is a good starting point for many but make sure to shop around to get the best buy and always be aware of the product you want before purchasing.

Categories: Amazon, eBay, HMV, Jessops, Laptop, Money, Play.com, Printer Cartridges, Retail, Tablet

The 100 Greatest TV Adverts - Part One (20-1)

By Simon Wright

The television advertisement has been around on our screens for almost 60 years.  They portray all of our favourite products, promoted by either everyday celebrities or just normal everyday members of the British public.

The Cravendale Cats make a top 20 appearance, but is it number one?

Adverts (Cravendale cats pictured) have come a long way since a toothpaste company broadcast the first ever commercial on ITV's opening night back in September 1955.  Some of them can be a real nuisance, especially if they pop up in every single advertising break.

It has been over 13 years since a programme was produced by Channel 4 to find the nation's greatest advert, and there have been some real gems since.  Five years ago, I did a top 60 selection on my YouTube account, and have always noticed the commercials that actually can leave you laughing, amazed or even feeling a bit emotional.

In this five-part series for Viewing Perspectives, here is my updated list of the 100 Greatest TV adverts of all-time.  The final part covers the top 20, with all years given a rough reference of when the commercial was either first screened or shown most regularly.

20. Levi’s: Laundrette (1985) 
To promote the new Levi's 501 jean range, this advert is one of the most famous in the history of television.  Directed by Roger Lyons, the advert sees a male individual stroll into the laundrette's with an attitude of 'I look sexy, look at me ladies.'  And the ladies can't quite believe it when the guy, played by Nik Kamen strips down to his underwear.  Ladies with an attraction for the male body can stop drooling now!

19. Walkers: Salt and Lineker (1995) 
Former Barcelona and Tottenham striker Gary Lineker has been promoting Walkers Crisps for the past two decades.  Football's nice guy, who was never cautioned by a referee is a mean man on these adverts, and this is his best advert.  Starring former England team-mate Paul Gascoigne, Lineker is watching the match and preventing Gazza from getting any of his crisps for the new 'Salt and Lineker' range (actually Salt and Vinegar).  Gascoigne then starts sobbing uncontrollably after those famous tears from Italia 90, and Lineker shows no remorse on this occasion.

18. Reebok: Belly’s Gonna Get Ya (2001) 

Whoever created this advert should be praised because it is a real classic.  An athlete tries to run away from a fat, big belly who is determined to swallow him up - charging at him through a shopping centre and even on a motorbike through a multi-storey car park.  Eventually, the belly loses as he crashes into the water, and that is largely because the athlete has his new Reebok trainers.

17. Apple Computers: 1984 (1984) 
Apple's most famous advert was one of its first commercials, which promotes the new Macintosh range, launched in January 1984.  It sees some disciples being brainwashed by messaging on a big screen, before the message explodes by a flying object.  'And you will see why 1984 won't be like 1984.'  Computing has never been the same since.

16. Yellow Pages: JR Hartley (1983) 
In 1983, author JR Hartley takes a trek into town, desperate to get a copy of his book 'Fly Fishing.'  However, he is to be massively disappointed, as all bookshops in the town do not sell this.  Returning home looking disconsolate, Hartley is persuaded to try a couple more that can only be found in Yellow Pages.  Eventually, he gets what he is looking for and it is down to the yellow book that has always been there to solve a problem.  The fictional character was played by actor Norman Lumsden and was replayed again after his death in November 2001, aged 95.

15. Barclaycard: Waterslide (2008) 
Seriously, is there a cooler way to get to your home from work.  I can't think of one.  In 2008, Barclaycard came up with this amazing idea to have a guy leave his office and down this giant waterslide, ranging through various locations from downtown to libraries and groceries. 

14. Irn Bru: Crazy Granny (2002) 
On the outside, she seems just like a normal grandmother, but on the inside, she has an evil craving and it is for the soft drink Irn Bru.  Arriving at a shop, she goes crazy in her buggy, and scatters cans of Irn Bru all over the place, collecting many in her trolley.  Some people will do anything to get refreshed.

13. Nike: Parklife (1997) 
In 1997, Nike decided to take football back to the hundreds of pitches where it started.  Sunday League football is mocked at, but these normal footballers got a real treat when they starred alongside top superstars at the time such as Eric Cantona, David Seaman and Robbie Fowler.  Whatever team you are in, Nike loves the beautiful game.

Watch it on YouTube

12. John Lewis: The Snowman Journey (2012) 
Called 'The Snowman Journey,' this commercial for John Lewis is heart-warming, tender and emotional.  Whenever I saw it throughout Christmas last year, it nearly brings me to tears.  John Lewis encourage everyone to go the extra mile to get the desired gift and this advert ticks all the right boxes.  The song 'The Power of Love,' reached the top 10 over the festive period last year in the iTunes chart and is worthy of its high ranking.

11. British Telecom: Ology (1988) 
Maureen Lipman is often outspoken and she shows it in this advert where she congratulates her grandson on the phone on his exam results.  When he surprises her by saying his results were disastrous, Lipman doesn't care what he failed, just what he passed and takes pride in Anthony having passed Sociology.  Whether it is hard luck or well done, a positive message is always the way forward.

10. British Airways: World Face (1989) 
Struggling to keep up with the rapidly moving airline technology in the 1980s, the fortunes of British Airways changed with this advert in 1989, which sees groups of different people form an eye, then the global world map.  The airline brings millions of people together and it was a unique advert at the time it was first screened.  It starts the top 10 countdown and deservedly so.

9. Honda: Cog (2003) 
This advert actually topped my ranking five years ago, but has taken a drop since.  It cost £7m to produce and campaign, and the full two-minute commercial which was first shown during ITV's coverage of the 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix shows the various parts of a Honda Accord car clicking together from start to finish.  It was money well spent and might have its critics, but as the advert says, isn't it nice when things just work.

8. Cravendale: Cats with thumbs (2011) 
Now to many of us, cats are seen as lovely pets to have, even if sometimes they can do their business in the most inappropriate of places.  However, this commercial for Cravendale sees the species of cat show their frustration at not getting the milk they crave for.  They get together, growing thumbs along the way.  It really is a scary proposition, 'Cats with Thumbs.'  A very funny and outstanding advert.

7. Carling: Dambusters (1989) 
The Carling Black Label brand got more popular after this advert in 1989, which was a mimic take of the classic movie 'The Dambusters.'  His goalkeeping ability is fairly impressive too.

6. Thinkbox: Every Home Needs a Harvey (2010) 
The power of advertising television in general actually makes the top six, when a couple visit a dogs home, looking for a pet to take home with them.  They then meet Harvey, who seems determined to show what he can do, which includes cooking the dinner, drive the kids and clean the windows.  Once the slogan is completely shown to the music of 'You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet,' Harvey's suitcase is packed and he raises his eyebrow in anticipation that he might be chosen.  A very chilled and cool commercial that richly earns a place as my number six choice.

5. John West Salmon: Bear Fight (2000)  
Into the top five and it is a fight between the bears and a man who just loves his salmon.  They get into a vicious confrontation, involving karate and kung-fu moves, ending with the human being distracting the bear by shouting: "Ooh look an eagle.'  As the bear looks away, he gets a painful kick in the wotsits and loses the battle for the salmon.  The advert is for John West and is one of the funniest of all-time.

4. John Smith’s: Diving (2003)
The best advert in the Peter Kay/John Smith's range comes in a diving competition.  Into the final round, two divers from Australia and Canada show off their techniques  with quality moves that earn decent scores from the judges.  Kay, acting as John Smith from Great Britain is the final diver to go and does a 'running bomb' jump into the pool, soaking the judges on his way through.  He gets perfect 10s, which shows advertising can really stretch into the realms of fantasy.  Top bombing and very unlucky to just miss out on the top three.

3. Guinness: Surfers (1999) 
Voted as The Greatest TV Advert by viewers of Channel 4 back in the year 2000, this advert encapsulates why good things come to those who wait.  Some adverts don't need explaining and just need to be watched, and this is one of these.  A top three ranking shows the high praise I think of this commercial.

2. PlayStation: Double Life (1995) 
When the PlayStation was created by Sony and launched into Europe in October 1995, the world of computer gaming changed forever.  Along with it came this truly epic commercial, titled the Double Life.  It shows a man travelling through the streets after a hard day in a 9-5 job, but coming alive at night in a gaming ID.  It then follows other people who admit to their gaming passions, all claiming to have a Double Life.  They all say 'they've lived,' and it produces the best slogan in my view of all-time: 'Do Not Underestimate The Power of PlayStation.'  An awe-inspiring commercial which stays in a number two ranking as it achieved from me back in 2008.

1. Hovis: Slices of History (2008) 
And so we come to my number one advert, and it is a new commercial to my previous lists.  Hovis have been part of our lives for over 100 years, and this advert is simply mind-blowing.  A young boy collects a loaf of Hovis from the shop, and then travels through British history and some of its key points in just 90 seconds.  Moments include the demonstrations before women get the vote, devastation after the two World Wars and jubilee celebrations before arriving home.  Superb in every way possible and a truly deserving winner of 'The Greatest TV Advert of all-time.'

Hope you enjoyed my selection of commercials from just under the past 60 years, and here's to more stunning adverts over the next 60 years.

Categories: British Airways, Carling, Cats, Channel 4, Cravendale, Guinness, Harvey, Honda, Money, Peter Kay