Some marketing programs really make a splash. Everyone and anyone with a Facebook account is dumping ice water on their heads to bring attention to and raise money for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), the progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord and ultimately leads to death.

It’s a horrible disease that has been top of mind for every American who’s ever heard of Lou Gerhig, the Hall of Fame first baseman for the New York Yankees who was diagnosed with the disease in 1939 and died less than two years after delivering his “luckiest man on the face of the earth,” speech. And yet, while so many consumers know all about “Lou Gerhig’s Disease” as ALS is often referred to, over the years they haven’t exactly overwhelmed the ALS Association with donations. All that’s changed, however, with the ice bucket challenge. Between July 29 and Aug. 18, the non-profit had raised $15.6 million in donations—compared to $1.8 million during the same period last year. Other ALS-related charities reported similar jumps in donations.

So, what’s the connection between the ALS ice bucket challenge campaign and the household and personal products industry? Well, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an event that the beauty and personal care industry has made its own for years. Avon Products, Estée Lauder and dozens of other well-known companies and brands have done a tremendous job bringing attention to this disease. But even more can be done, right? Maybe, maybe not. Some experts say ALS caught lightning in a bottle with the ice bucket challenge.

“This is an amazing phenomenon,” said David Hessekiel, president of the Peer to Peer Professional Forum, a Rye, NY trade association for non-profits, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. “This happened because it touched people, because it’s fun, because it’s easy, because it’s the summer and a great goofy thing to do.”

Here’s our challenge: Can the industry and its charity partners come up with similar campaigns?

Now for something completely different—this month we launch a new column, Formulator Forum (p. 49) to solve issues that our readers grapple with on a regular basis. First up is Dan Beio of JVL Laboratories, who explains why sulfate-free shampoos are linked with hair colorants.

Correction
Due to an editing error, more specifically, my error, two companies were listed out of order in The Top 50 (July, p. 57). With sales of $3.5 billion, Mary Kay should be No. 10 on our list, while L Brands ($3.2 billion) is No. 11. I regret the error.

Tom Branna
Editorial Director
[email protected]