Ah, it is that time of the year ago. And no, I am not referring to the start of the Christmas shopping season; I am talking about Movember, a time of year when the Mo (slang for moustache) and November come together to support a good cause.
Movember is a marketing tactic created by the non-profit Movember Foundation that runs events to raise awareness and funds for men’s health issues, specifically prostate cancer. It was first sparked in 2003 in Melbourne, Australia, when a few guys realized the potential a moustache had in generating conversations and awareness about men’s health. Inspired by the women around them and all that they have done for breast cancer awareness (see blog post “I like it on…”), the Mo Bros set themselves on a course to create a global men’s health movement in an unconventional manner.
In the beginning, the campaign was all about raising awareness and no funds were generated for the number one cancer affecting men, prostate cancer. However in 2004, 432 members joined the Mo Bros that year and raised $55,000 for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, which represents the single largest donation they had ever received. Today, there are 10 countries participating in Movember. Last year, global participation reached 255,755 with over 1 million donors.
Movember is a prime example of a marketing tactic that caught on quick by being unique and well-marketed. By introducing commercials and videos on YouTube, conversations quickly arose on Facebook and Twitter as the movement went viral. As I was walking home from class today, I noticed 4 people sporting the distinct and otherwise not so popular “Mo”. It is safe to say that Movember is a successful movement of raising awareness, conversation and funds for prostate cancer, all thanks to a few guys wanting to something bigger and better with their facial hair.