Many of you are no doubt starting to notice moustaches cropping up on men’s faces – maybe even you are spending your November trying to grow a nice soup strainer.  You’re probably already familiar with Movember- the month when men grow moustaches for charity.  It’s fun and often hilarious, even if people often don’t know exactly what their donations are going towards (it’s for men’s health issues, like prostate cancer).  The support of a friend/colleague/family member’s “Mo” is often satisfaction enough.

From its humble beginnings as an idea between friends in an Australian pub, Movember has snowballed into a global campaign with over one million participants.  The graph shows just how rapidly this annual sponsorship ‘event’ grown over the years.

Why has Movember been such a global success? What makes it such a great fundraising initiative?  On the face of it, Movember is no different from other annual campaigns – breast cancer awareness month, marathons, poppy appeal, etc.  There is a hook (pink, running, etc.) that provides a way for everyone to get involved.  It’s often as much a social event as it is a charitable motive.  So, it seems like Movember is similar to the others, but using moustaches as the hook.

While this is true to some extent, there is so much more that makes Movember a unique, successful initiative:

• low costs – unlike sporting events, like marathons and mountain climbs, there is no money that needs to be raised just to cover the cost of participation.  Growing a moustache costs nothing, so more money goes to charity.
• creates a shared experience – there’s something about growing a moustache that men love.  It’s a source of pride and embarrassment at the same time, but, above all, bonds all those who are participating.
• visual awareness – something particularly genius about Movember is the marketing power of a moustache.  When you see someone sporting a moustache in November you instantly think of Movember.  Their association with the campaign is literally on their face.
• user generated – it’s easy for any guy to create an online ‘Mo Space’, starting growing a moustache and ask others for sponsorship.  It couldn’t be much easier for a man to participate