I'd like to nominate...

On Tuesday morning, my Twitter timeline was peppered with a series of bleary-eyed celebrity selfies - Jemima Khan, Liam Neeson, Hugh Grant, Jeremy Clarkson, Claudia Winkleman and Tom Hiddleston to name but a few. This was my introduction to Unicef's #WakeUpCall campaign. A campaign designed to highlight the plight of thousands of Syrian children who have fled from the relentless violence in their country. No one could possibly question the aim of the campaign, but immediately something didn't sit right with me. I posted the following tweet,

Just me or does Unicef's #WAKEUPCALL campaign seem a little too contrived? "Let's make a viral campaign." Your thoughts? Awaits backlash.
— Stuart Glen (@stuglen) October 7, 2014

Somewhat surprisingly, no backlash followed. In fact, I wasn't alone in my questioning of the campaign. Zoe Amar and Charles Bagnall concurred, and Jonathan Waddingham referred me to a Huffington Post article on the very same subject.

To me the #WakeUpCall campaign seemed too contrived and manufactured. It was trying a little too hard if you like. It wanted to be the next #IceBucketChallenge.

As a former fundraiser, I don't feel comfortable publicly belittling a charity's fundraising campaign, but #WakeUpCall really irked me. I felt Dan Snow's #WakeUpCall contribution was one of the most infuriating.

Where @Jemima_Khan leads, I follow. Here's my hotel room #WAKEUPCALL. Pls Text SYRIA to 70007 (to give £5) @UNICEF_uk pic.twitter.com/eCjHATdeGo
— Dan Snow (@thehistoryguy) October 7, 2014

#WakeUpCall suddenly seemed like another narcissistic vehicle for celebrities, their stylists and their PR people. Hadley Freeman's feature in The Guardian distills my discomfort better than I could ever hope to achieve,

"Is this really what we have come to - needing to see photos of luminaries such as Nicky Hilton and Elle Macpherson in bed in order to give money to Unicef? Since when did charity become some kind of beauty pageant in which famous women flaunt their 'natural' looks?"

For some celebrities the act of nominating their 'celebrity mates' is almost as important (and self-gratifying) as the challenge, or indeed the cause itself.

However, the following day the game changed. I received an Instagram notification, Paul De Gregorio had nominated me. The bugger! I found myself with an interesting dilemma - nominated for a fundraising challenge for a campaign that annoyed me, but nominated by someone I respect and admire. Is the act of nominating others set to be the focus of successful fundraising campaigns over the next wee while?

Paul's #WakeUpCall contribution was particularly creative and certainly no narcissistic allegations can be leveled at him.

The eye mask is not a prop. I fear this is Paul's regular slumber attire. Digital Diva!

My discomfort with #WakeUpCall remains. Nonetheless, somewhat hesitantly, in some ways begrudgingly, I'm about to share my own #WakeUpCall contribution. I've made a donation to Unicef and I would urge you to do likewise.

Please text SYRIA to 70007 to give £5.00 to Unicef.

And so to my nominations. I'd like to nominate Sara, Andy and Helen for #WakeUpCall.