Have you noticed that, as Thanksgiving approaches, you see a lot of mustaches? Facial hair gets a boost in late fall and early winter — and it’s not by accident.
Perhaps you’ve heard about the phenomenon prompting these magnificent mustaches: an annual occasion known as Movember. There’s more to this tradition than facial hair alone, however, as we’ll explain in detail below.
What Is Movember?
Combining the words “mustache” and “November,” Movember encourages guys all around the world to grow mustaches while raising awareness for men’s health issues such as prostate cancer. As its name implies, this commitment lasts the entire month of November: for one month, participants make every effort to grow amazing mustaches.
Movember began in 2003 when Australian friends Travis Garone and Luke Slattery set the important goal of making mustaches more stylish. They were inspired by efforts to raise money for breast cancer but compared their mustaches to the iconic pink ribbons. Quickly, they found dozens of other guys eager to take on the challenge and show off their own mustaches. The event soon became official with, to start, all funds generated by the ‘Mo Bros’ dedicated to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.
It certainly didn’t take long for Movember to become a global phenomenon. These days, this is one of the most important fundraising initiatives for men’s mental health, not to mention, a highly anticipated tradition for participants from all walks of life.
As one of the most infamous men’s health projects imaginable, Movember has caught on worldwide: from Canada to Croatia, New York to New Zealand, support of Movember has never been stronger. While young men and their older cohorts alike yearn to live longer lives, the Movember Foundation aims to achieve this goal by providing prostate cancer research, suicide prevention assistance, and so much more.
“Movember [3]” by rick carter photography is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Participating in Movember
In theory, taking part in Movember is simple: just ditching the razors for a month! This is the minimum level of commitment, however, and ideally. Participants will make an extra effort to actually get the conversation started on men’s health. This could be as easy as explaining to loved ones why you’re rocking a mustache and what you hope to accomplish along the way. Typically, however, Movember calls for more action and may involve fundraising or making an effort to teach others about men’s health issues.
Tips and Ideas for Successful Participation
As you get more immersed in the culture of Movember, you may realize that it’s a lot more complicated than you initially expected. A lot goes into this tradition, and while casual involvement is perfectly acceptable, the real fun arrives when you commit fully. Movember.com is a great resource for anyone looking to embrace the Movember campaign and help change the face of men’s health.
To make sure you make the most of no-shave November, keep these suggestions in mind:
Movember Rules
Movember is stricter than you might anticipate. First things first: you need to begin the month with a clean-shaven face. This is absolutely essential, so be ready to shave on Halloween or November 1st.
The other rules are all common sense: no cheating with goatees or fake mustaches and no ditching the mustache club early. The most important rule of all? “Each Mo Bro must conduct himself like a true gentleman.”
Impact and Benefits of Participating
There are many reasons to participate in Movember. Above all else? The sense of satisfaction that comes with supporting an amazing cause. This is also a great chance to build a close-knit community united around an important goal. On a larger scale, your effort helps to raise money for research initiatives and other charitable efforts related to men’s health concerns.
Tips for Growing Your Mustache
Many Movember participants are surprised to discover that growing the requisite mustache isn’t quite as easy as they envisioned. If you’re new to mustache life, you will want to be strategic about how you handle your facial hair for the month of November. Suggestions worth implementing include:
- Research styles. Mustaches take many forms, so you’ll want to be purposeful about your facial hair. Feel free to go as silly or serious as you desire.
- Invest in the right tools and products. If you don’t already have a great trimmer, this is the time to purchase one. If possible, opt for one with interchangeable heads. Beard oil is also a must and, depending on the style, mustache wax may be helpful as well.
- Don’t be too hard on yourself. Not everyone can grow a glorious mustache, and that’s perfectly okay. Ultimately, Movember is more about raising awareness than showing off the best mustache in town. If anything, a silly-looking mustache will generate a lot more attention than one that’s perfectly groomed.
“Movember self portrait (week one)” by Big Ben in Japan is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
Fundraising for Men’s Health
Movember is about more than mustaches — as mentioned, these are equivalent to the pink ribbon and serve as a symbol of far-reaching efforts to raise money for charitable organizations and research initiatives that support men’s health. This aspect of Movember takes the most work but also makes the most discernible difference and feels the most personally rewarding.
To begin, set fundraising goals and determine how, exactly, you will generate these funds. The upside is that you get to direct your own fundraising efforts. The sillier and more creative you can get, the better. Ideas worth trying include:
- Begin by recruiting or joining a team. Movember fundraising efforts are far more effective as part of a community.
- Kick off the month with an official shave-off event. Include a raffle or silent auction to raise money.
- Host an end-of-Movember event with yet another shave-off. Food or a cover charge can generate significant funds.
- Display a cardboard cutout with a spectacular mustache near donation sites and let viewers know how their donation will be used.
Spreading Awareness
While fundraising is an important component of Movember, it’s not the only avenue for supporting an important cause. If you lack the time or ability to fundraise, you can always donate to men’s health organizations or simply get the conversation going by chatting with loved ones about the real reason you’re growing a mustache.
In addition to word of mouth, information can be shared online or in person at various locations or events. Visual displays can be effective, especially if they include statistics about the true impact of prostate and testicular cancer.
Attract attention with cardboard cutouts and other creative displays that draw the eye. When in doubt, these should feature prominent mustaches. Cutouts depicting mustachioed celebrities are sure to be a hit, although actual Movember participants will also be excited to see themselves in cutout form.
Make the Most of Movember
As you plan for an amazing Movember, start searching for creative activities or displays to get the message out. The right supplies can make your fundraising effort a lot more impactful — and these can also make the entire month a lot more enjoyable.
Our team at Cardboard Cutouts Standees is excited to do our part: we want to help you help an important cause. Use mustachioed cutouts to attract attention; depending on the event or the display, BigHeads or life-sized cutouts will surely make an impression. Begin by uploading photos online or reach out to learn more about this exciting opportunity.
