We’ve all heard of it, November + Mustache = Movember. We’ve also learned to laugh, appreciate, and take part in the great month of ‘stache cultivating. But as a marketer, have you learned a lesson or two how a simple cause campaign can help your business grow? This cause uses social media and word of mouth in a genius way! That’s why it is important for you to take a moment to focus on why the Movember Campaign is a brilliant example of online marketing.
What started in Australia in 2003 was as simple campaign “to change the face of men’s health” which grew into a giant with official campaigns in 21 countries, 4 million people raising awareness, and $559 million funds raised for the cause! All it took was an idea and understanding the power of social media.
Made in Movember
The Movember Foundation focuses on giving people a platform to talk about men’s health. There are only 5 rules:
- Come November 1st, you shave your face and register on the Foundation site.
- The entire month of November is then devoted to growing your glorious ‘stache
- You cannot cheat by growing just a beard or a goatee, you also can’t glue on a fake mustache!
- Use your new friend to talk about men’s health. If someone asks you “what’s that awkward shadow under your nose” – that’s your cue.
- Be a gentleman.
Those simple rules don’t require much. What they do is set up a platform for the men of the world to get creative by registering, talking about health, and by taking a picture of their growing shadow – it is an opportunity to raise awareness but most of all ask friends and family to donate to the cause. The Movember Foundation has a leaderboard where various individuals or groups can raise money, a very manly thing to do – document the ‘stache and become the leader in donations 😉
To prepare, The Movember Foundation has created an explainer video and has used a simple message that encourages Mo Bros and Mo Sistas to start preparing in October:
Behind that are social media reminders, hashtags, and more videos! Let’s dive into why you as a marketer should take a peek at their simple, yet effective strategy.
Go Viral or Go Home
In order for the campaign to be a success, people had to get involved. The specificity of this campaign is that is one month long. Does that mean that for the remaining 11 months of the year Movember is a dead end? Most definitely not. One of the founders of this cause once said that “the off season” is a great time to focus on the results and stories that come out of those raised funds. It is also an opportunity to share tips, information, and to talk about these issues that we we devote our November mustaches to.
1. YouTube
Wouldn’t you want to “shave the date” when you’re looking at handsome men shave their facial hair and telling you that they are undertaking this “challenge” in order to raise awareness for real issues?
What we as marketers can learn from the videos that The Movember Foundation makes is that it does not take much. At various times I’ve found myself looking at over-the-top videos that people put on their pages. To share an idea or to sell your product, you don’t necessarily need a giant budget with the end result of a Beyonce music video.
For example, this year the theme is Made in Movember, a simple video and a creative mind is all it took to prepare a simple message to round up the Gentlemen of the Earth:
Key Takeaway:
Do not get lost in making a bang. Viral videos become viral because of their simple idea. Focus on your cause, product, or service, think of your key demographic, and constantly research what their attitude towards your product is. If you have a giant brand with different customers make sure that you learn what key ideas overlap for all of those demographics. It is best to promote 3 important brand core values than 127 meaningless splashy slogans.
2. Instagram and Facebook
A ‘stache is an excellent thing to document and share with others. Movember has given people the opportunity to take pictures, hashtag, and spread their growing furry friends. It is unbelievable how many people take to sharing their more or less awkward mustaches! Even the ladies get in on the fun with fake mustaches. It is a humorous global marketing gem.
The Foundation has also taken to their Instagram and Facebook to share reminders:
The Cliffs Of Moher in Ireland want to remind you that at dawn we Mo! Sign up at Movember.com and let’s do this. A photo posted by Movember (@movember) on Oct 10, 2014 at 4:44am PDT
And to inspire others by sharing real stories of real men:
// (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = “//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1”; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, ‘script’, ‘facebook-jssdk’)); //
Key Takeaway:
Sharing customer stories, reminding people of upcoming events, inspiring to take part in a campaign – it can all be done with simple images. Don’t get lost in clip art, Comic Sans, and robotic messages. Let your brand be approachable, speak to your customers like a human being would, invite them in and remember about them. Sharing their testimonials is also a great way to engage people and inspire them to share their success stories with you and your community! Once you have established a relationship with your customers, you can also built upon that and increase you customer loyalty.
3. An Inviting Website
The Movember Foundations’ website is so simple and clean that it is almost hard not to click around in the various tabs. Leaderboards, awesome fundraising tips, FAQ’s, news, and what’s what? Oh! Sign up and donate buttons!
Key Takeaway:
That’s right, Movember is a way for people to donate but also to sign up and document their progress. Maybe your business is not one to share or document things, maybe you are just focusing on selling your product or service? Let people sign up, give out bonuses, send out newsletters that will invite people back to your website. Use email marketing as an extension of your relationship and a follow up to your product.
Research, Engage, Campaign.
We’ve already touched upon focusing on who your audience is and making sure that you reach out to them. However, you can also build upon your core values. For instance, Movember focuses on “growing ‘staches, raising funds and awareness” but it also develops various other aspects of being a man like masculinity, grooming, trends, and social behavior. These are themes that go hand in hand with their core values and can be used as a means to engage men of the world.
Here are 5 tips to make sure that you find your brand voice and that you use every opportunity to make it heard in the Internetosphere:
- Focusing on a niche: Whether it is a broad spectrum of people that can use your product or service or a very small niche that could use your various products or services.
- Universal idea or common goal: From a funny mustache to a pink ribbon, we all have a goal that can be represented in a simple way. Find the goal behind purchasing your product and use it to raise brand awareness.
- Themed stuff: Make sure that you create a hashtag, mascot, maybe even a slogan that people will connect to your brand.
- Partner up: Movember is a great way to take part in something bigger. Having your brand participate in a cause will not only do good but also let people know you are there and you too care.
- Seasonal opportunities: Shaving sets are suddenly being sent out to those who take part in Movember, whereas shaving cream and razor companies are offering a discount. Causes and holidays are an enormous opportunity to participate and grow a community of potential loyal customers. Are there any holidays around the corner? Begin planning your campaign!
Movember’s witty and minimalistic approach is worthy every marketers time. Take a deeper look at the mechanics behind this great cause and start planning your own campaigns. To quote the great Nick Offerman “A moustache tells folks that you’re willing to take the bull by the horns,” so tackle the bull and share with us in the comments what helps your marketing ‘stache grow!
