Case study – Objective: Address an issue
Few brands can claim to have redefined a category but Movember has done just that. Pre-Movember, charities weren’t particularly focused on fun and it wasn’t normal to lay claim to a month of the year.
In fact, Movember’s strategy was so successful that lots of charities adopted a similar model. By 2017, months were increasingly owned by a cause and fundraising was becoming more radical. Not only that, moustaches weren’t quite as unusual as they once were with the rise of hipster culture. Awareness of the brand was still strong but participation and donations were significantly down.
To re-engage people, Movember partnered with News UK and Sky for a complex content partnership. Centred on the idea of ‘FOMOVEMBER’ – a life you’d miss out on if you died too young – the campaign ran for 45 days, with 40 elements across five media brands, spanning print, digital and mobile, as well as radio, social and TV.
Newsbrand content combined real stories and editorial across both The Sun and The Times with features such as a branded ‘Dear Deidre’ page. The collaboration led to a 16% increase in fundraising, 67% rise in new sign-ups and a 50% leap in people understanding that Movember encourages men to take better care of their health.
This campaign was fighting a genuine problem and delivered fantastic results. It is a great example of how far you can push a newsbrand partnership.
Simon Jenkins, joint chief strategy officer, VCCP Media
