Every November, seemingly out of nowhere, a worldwide social movement literally grows from nothing right in front of our eyes. To the uninitiated, it might seem like a bizarre time warp or a supernatural event. Don’t worry, though. You didn’t wake up on the set of a 1970s cop show and you’re not living in the middle of a werewolf outbreak.
I’m speaking, of course, about Movember, the annual event in which men all over the world let their moustaches and beards grow freely in order to raise awareness about prostate cancer and other men’s health issues. What started as a funny idea between a few friends in an Australian pub has become a global fundraising phenomenon that has literally changed the face of men’s health awareness. When you study how the movement grew, it’s easy to take away lessons that you can apply to your own marketing campaigns.
For one thing, the Movember campaign was masterfully targeted. They found a way to combine social activism and charitable giving in a funny, ironic way that made the movement a hit with Millennials. It was a quirky way to bring light to a serious issue and mobilize a particular demographic. Now, your target market may not be millennials, but the lesson still applies. When you’re building a marketing campaign, it’s vital that you understand the people you’re marketing to. If you understand what appeals to your customers and what motivates them, you’ve got a solid foundation for a successful marketing strategy.
Obviously, the name also had a lot to do with Movember’s runaway success. It’s clever, concise, and representative of what the movement is about. Not only that, it presents all of that information in a way that engages people and prompts further questions and discussions. The best marketing campaigns are run exactly the same way. You want to say as much as you can as efficiently as possible while creating discussion around your product or company. Carefully consider all of your marketing materials, from your logo to your website to your advertisements. Are you being as clear and concise as possible? Are you doing everything that you can to create genuine engagement around your campaign?
The main reason that Movember was such a hit, though, is the visibility. It might be easy to tune out tv commercials or advertisements, but it’s hard to ignore your friends and coworkers when they are sporting gloriously luxuriant moustaches. The people behind the Movember movement thought outside the box and found a way to get their message in front of, and even on, your face. That kind of creativity is a huge boon to companies in a crowded marketplace. You have to constantly innovate and find new and creative ways to promote your products and services.
The Sir Ballpoint Sylus and Ceramic Mug (Model #s: 1067-60, 1624-57)
So the next time you walk past a guy who looks like Tom Selleck’s stunt double, think about the strategy behind the Movember movement. Then, think about ways that you can apply those same principles to your own marketing campaigns. In the world of promotional marketing, on-trend products like a moustache pen or moustache mug would align nicely with this theme. Knowing your market, clearly communicating your message, and finding new ways to get that message out can help push your business to the next level.
Update! Have you or your employees taken part in Movember? We’re roughly three weeks in, so it’s likely that many of you are working with a keen lip sweater by now. Which style most closely matches your setup?
