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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 depression initiatives.
After five years, Movember has reached a critical mass. In November (hereafter called Movember), Australia, along with a growing number of countries around the world, sees a visible rise in its moustachioed male population resulting in AU$21 million in 2007 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. There are over one hundred thousand supporters who have participated in Movember and over four hundred thousand individual donors. 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.
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Name of exhibitor: Christiana Stergiou.
Email: christiana@scribblybark.com.au
Name of exhibit: The Movember moustache-growing campaign for men’s health.
Date of first appearance: November 2003.
Category/area of fundraising: Events, online.
Country of origin: Australia.
Summary/objectives:
Movember is a charitable foundation and runs a moustache-growing event 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 as the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and beyondblue, Australia’s national depression initiative.
Background:
At the start of Movember, men, called Mo Bros, register with a clean-shaven face 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.
Creator/originator: 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 men’s health, talking about men’s health and raising money for men’s health. 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 134,171 participants is a walking billboard for men’s health. According to Movember’s research, each participant explains the reason for ‘his new look’ at least twice a day for one month. He also emails donation requests to an average of 12 people. That has resulted in ten million men’s health messages being sent in November 2007.
Costs:
Results: In 2007, Movember raised AU$21 million from 134,171 participants and 441,559 individual donors. (2008 Movember results are not available yet, but will be published on Movember’s website)
It should be noted that Movember started off small. In it’s first year, and with only 30 participants, Movember raised no money. In its second year, with only 450 participants, Movember raised only $55,000.
Why do you think this exhibit merits a place in SOFII?
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.
Any other relevant information:
In 2007, Movember expanded into New Zealand, UK, USA, Canada and Spain and is well on its way to becoming a global movement.
Much of this information has been taken from Movember’s excellent website and brilliant 2007 annual report. As a side note, the annual report is one of the few I’ve seen in recent times that genuinely conveys the impact of the organisation, as well as being interesting to read. Very refreshing, Movember.
