Movem­ber: mous­tache-grow­ing cam­paign for men’s health

Exhibited by
Christiana Stergiou
Added
August 31, 2009
Medium of Communication
Online
Target Audience
Awareness, single gift.
Type of Charity
Healthcare, research & policy development.
Country of Origin
Australia
Date of first appearance
November, 2003

SOFII’s view

This fun and lively event encourages men to grow a moustache, find out more about men’s health and raise money for prostate cancer research and awareness and education on men's health issues.

Each year in November (hereafter called Movember), there is a visible rise in the moustachioed male population in countries all over the world, resulting in millions being raised for men’s health awareness and programmes.

But there’s so much more that’s possible with Movember. We would encourage the fundraisers at Movember to build long-term relationships with their supporters. Millions of people have registered to take part in Movember and a decent percentage of them would surely consider becoming regular monthly supporters, if only they were asked. We think a telephone campaign to ask Movember participants and donors to become monthly donors would raise even more money for men’s health.

Andy Harris, from the UK’s NCH Action for Children, presented this at SOFII’s first IWITOT event and fellow fundraisers voted it the most innovative idea of the day.

Creator / originator

Movember

Summary / objectives

Movember is a charitable foundation that runs a moustache-growing event and other events each year to raise awareness of, and funds for, men’s health. However, Movember does not provide men’s health services directly. It gives most of the funds it raises to nonprofits that provide men’s health services, such the different prostate cancer charities around the world.

Background

At the start of Movember, men, called Mo Bros, register with clean-shaven faces and have the remainder of the month to grow their moustache. During Movember, the Mo Bros raise money to benefit men’s health. They run their own events, or simply ask family, friends and work colleagues to sponsor them. Movember culminates at the end of the month with gala parties, where moustachioed men can compete to be the man of Movember.

Special characteristics

Movember has well-targeted branding and messaging. And the messages are single-minded when it comes to men’s health. Movember is an online event. All resources and support materials are available online, and the donations are made online. It’s easy and fun to become a Mo Bro, and it’s equally as easy for a Mo Bro’s family, friends and colleagues to sponsor him. Furthermore, Movember has built an online community of men who are learning about their health, talking about it and raising money for it. And they can show they are doing that just by walking down the street flaunting their mo.

Influence / impact

Fun and irreverence have helped make Movember so successful. Each of Movember’s participants is a walking billboard for men’s health. According to Movember’s research, it’s feasible, that during the 2010 campaign, the 448,000 global participants personally informed over 27 million people about Movember and its key health messages. This isn’t taking into account the number of people they would have reached with messages sent via e-mail, or posted on Facebook and Twitter.

Results

Rarely do new organisations or events build a supporter base that is comprised of those they are trying to help (the beneficiaries of the cause – men). Movember is raising millions of dollars for men’s health from men, and teaching them about men’s health issues along the way. This is money that would not have otherwise been raised for men’s health. Movember is growing the men’s health funding pie, simply by encouraging men to grow a mo.

SOFII's I Wish I'd Thought Of That 2012 - No. 3 Andy Harris presents Movember

Mo Sistas at SOFII’s first IWITOT event. From left, Kathy Allen, Margaux Smith and Amy Oberhaltzer.