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It is no secret that, while the majority of women commit to at least the annual doctor's visit so that they'll more likely have some chance at screening for the most common health issues, men don't seem to have the same motivation....
In general, women might be more likely to consider a doctor's appointment something routine to check off the list, while men seem to put preventative health care a bit further back on their to-do list. (I'm guessing most women would say they've found this to be true of the men in their lives.)
That's why the "Movember" mustache campaign in Australia and New Zealand really caught my eye. It "markets" health to men in a very clever, transparent manner that makes everyone want to join the fun. Not just another rubber bracelet cause, the campaign's developers made it a contest (appealing to that perhaps more linear/competitive male brain trait?) that culminates in a gala celebration. This is the description from the Movember site:
Movember (the month formally known as November) is a charity event held during November each year.
At the start of Movember guys register with a clean-shaven face. The Movember participants known as Mo Bros then have the remainder of the month to grow and groom their moustache and along the way raise as much money and awareness about male health issues as possible.
Clearly aimed at the 20- to 30-year-old age range, the women in the lives of these men can join in as "Mo Sistas" to inspire their husbands, significant others, brothers and so on to get in on the action and raise more men's health awareness.
Because the campaign starts and ends in such a limited time period (just the month of November) -- it is accessible and fun for those men who might not otherwise want to even think of growing a 'stache in this era of more clean shaven looks. It is for such a great cause when all is said and done, and it inspires conversation while culminating in a fun party and great photos of guys looking like they hang out with Starsky & Hutch. How could you NOT participate?
The bottom line: The Movember campaign is effective cause marketing because:
1) it resonates with young men and speaks their language of competition, humor and retro-appeal, among other things (the interest in the final party, for one).
2) it leverages the female influencers (girlfriends, wives and sisters, for example) in the fun, as well.
3) once awareness is piqued, there is perhaps more likely to be follow through - and more doctor appointments made (and kept) by the men who participated.
4) it is a campaign so fun that people will probably look forward to doing it year after year.
5) it is a very specific time commitment, so participants know exactly what to expect, should they want to try it out.
The key male health causes for Movember 2006 are:
Prostate Cancer - because every year in Australia 2,700 men die of prostate cancer - more than the number of women who die from breast cancer.
Male Depression - because one in six men suffer from depression at any given time but most don't seek help.
Testicular Cancer - because it’s the second most common cancer in young men aged 18 to 35.
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I LOVE this idea -- and its brilliant marketing approach. Anyone in the U.S. ready to launch a stateside Movember campaign next year?
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Comments
As a Mo Bro, I am proud to stand up and be counted this Movember. You know, there are a LOT of bad moustaches out there at the moment, and we are all wearing them proudly.
There is even a sense of comraderie as you walk down the street, spot a fellow Mo Bro and nod in appreciation. Interestingly, it is bringing out a very silly side of the masculine psyche ... and, by the way, I am more than happy for anyone to sponsor me! I promise I will send you a pic courtesy of the great viral webcam app on the Movember site!
Thanks for writing this up Andrea ... I hope Movember catches on in your neck of the woods!
Posted by: Gavin Heaton | 11.21.06
Gavin -- You so need to post a photo of your Movember-mustached-mug here!
Posted by: Ann Handley | 11.21.06
Gavin - yes, I'd love to see a pic of the before/after!
As far as marketing goes.. I'm starting to see a trend toward using humor - and men poking fun of themselves/the traditional male stereotypes, that really seems to resonate - with men as well as women. I'm all for brands taking themselves less seriously! It can be so refreshing.
Posted by: Andrea Learned | 11.21.06
Andrea,
I am the typical testosterone-enhanced male of the Baby Boomer generation, who voluntarily spent eight years in the military from 18 - 26 years of age. Becoming ill was not tolerated. So doctor and dentist visits occurred regularly.
I continued the habit, and now am under the care of the Veterans Administration. They, too, lack tolerance for poor health, so I'm standing tall twice a year for physicals and tests.
Funny how the most macho organization in the US makes doctor and dentist visits a test of machismo. For some of us it worked.
Post that pix, Gavin. Thanks for this important post, Andrea.
Posted by: Lewis Green | 11.21.06
I hate to be the party pooper here, because I think this is a fun idea with great potential, but I went through the whole website without seeing any connection made between growing the mustache and getting to the doctor. If it's all about fundraising, that's fine, but there is really no behavior change component to the campaign. Sure, they mention men's health, but they don't provide any information to help the Mo Bros spread health awareness or learn something themselves beyond some dull statistics. It's all about growing the mustache. Even in the "Ask Friendy" Q&A section, there are no health-related questions in between all of the questions about growing the mustache. This is a wasted opportunity to build real health awareness by including motivating messages at the same time as promoting the fun. Or perhaps I'm missing something. Gavin (or others who have participated), have you found this campaign to have changed your attitude toward going to the doctor to be checked for prostate and testicular cancer or depression, or is it just a fun excuse to grow a mustache? :-)
Posted by: Nedra Weinreich | 11.21.06
One way to look at it Nedra is that a change in appearance often signals a change in attitude. As one who has worn a mustache for the better part of 30 years...I know its out of vogue and the girls don't much care for it - I'm old AND married :)...this is a refreshing way to bring attention to a couple worthy causes - prostate cancer and depression in men. I was stunned to see the statistic that prostate cancer is a higher cause of death in men than breast cancer is in women. No man I know is comfortable - usually not even open to - talking about either one. If Movember and the "Mo Bruddas & Sistas" open just one conversation - its a step in the right direction. Thank you, Andrea for pointing it out. And thank you, Gavin - for being part of the change in attitude. Change the face of men's health one face at a time! what a wonderful goal.
Posted by: Bob Glaza | 11.21.06
When I first read this I was with Nedra, But upon further investigation I found the Men's Health pages on the website. If the media picks up on this and focuses on it as much as it does breast cancer awareness month, the exposure and impact has the potential to be huge. Imagine if Matt Laure (sp) Willard Scott, Charlie Gibson, etc. grew a mustache for a month for this cause. It's pretty cool and it packs a powerful message. Although i must admit...I wouldn't want my hubby to sport a 'stache.
Posted by: Tammy Strnatka | 11.21.06
As someone from an older generation and also with bearded face, this marketing tactic does not strike me as smart. Oh it is attractive on the points outlined, but aside from the short period it is held in, it can not extend to the entire male populace. It tends to be more exclusionary than inclusionary. Its viral affect is flawed to begin with or am I missing the point?
Posted by: Steve Sherlock | 11.21.06
I think Nedra has a point ... the challenge is to continue the communications beyond the boundaries of a single month. I am not involved in the strategic planning of Movember, so I am interested in the ways that this is being pulled together, enabled, sponsored and so on.
But like Tammy, I was skeptical at first -- and the links to the key messages did require a bit of searching out -- but the links ARE there. Will this generate a change in attitude or behaviour ... perhaps not -- but Bob is correct in saying that Movember does generate conversation -- even amongst strangers.
And Steve, the aim of the campaign was to encourage the participants to shave at the beginning of the month and start over. When I explained to friends that I was participating, they responded ... "don't you already have one?". This, of course, was not the point (for me at least). I WANTED to participate and be involved. I HOPE that the campaign is successful in generating behavioural change in men -- but if it isn't, then I expect that it will, at least, raise money to help these organisations follow through with more targeted communications.
Oh ... and I promise to post a photo soon.
Posted by: Gavin Heaton | 11.22.06
It is a good point that this campaign may not necessarily really get men to make appointments for doctor visits/checkups, but it reminds me of the universal truths of cause marketing - that we might not be able to persuade people to take the very end action we (as proponents/advocates/marketers) envision for the good of all, but we are persuading them toward a baby step or two in that general direction. The classic anti-smoking campaign example may not fit perfectly here, but perhaps there's something that relates: the idea was to keep teenagers from smoking, but the thing that motivated them/raised their awareness was something completely un-related - rebelling against "the man" or executives at the tobacco brands.
What is the thing that nudges even a slight change in perspective for various cause audiences? It will always be different and it may seem completely unrelated to the cause but, here's hoping, it might still be the teeny mustard seed that grows longer term change. (I've got rose-colored glasses)
Posted by: Andrea Learned | 11.22.06
It's true that men are less likely to share their personal health related issues with people close to them. They don't even feel comfertable consulting doctors in this respect. Statistics have proven the myth.
Posted by: MCgill | 09.04.07