Britomart-based digital creative agency Us&Co yesterday launched NZ’s Movember campaign and this year, for the first time, Movember if open to everyone – men, women, children, and even the most follicly challenged – can all have a go.
The month of moustachioed madness is in full swing where men across the globe dedicate their upper lips to a month of glorious bushiness – dedicated to men’s health.
Last night, The Movember Foundation worldwide, along with Us&Co, launched their Movember Virtual Moon Google Play enabling anyone, specifically Mo Sistas, to grow their own virtual moustache on their mobile phone
The smartphone Mo grows on you
Choose your style of Mo and you’re away. The Virtual Mo will display on smartphone lock screens so users can watch it grow before their very eyes, show it off and share it proudly with anyone they meet. The moustache will grow dynamically hair-by-hair resulting in a fully-fledged crumb catcher at the end of the month at which stage users will be prompted to donate to the cause.
Us&Co founder James Polhil said: “Our mobile lock screens often display who or what we love the most. Our children, our partners or our pets. If we can get the country to donate their mobile lock screens for the month of Movember, it will make a huge difference to the cause.
“With the support of some generous media partners the campaign will be broadcast throughout the country in the comingweeks and you can expect to see some of our high profile talent growing this year.
“I’d encourage as many people as possible to grow a Virtual Mo, get involved and talk openly about men’s health.”
Over the last decade more than 100,000 men have grown moustaches in New Zealand in support of men’s health and over the last eight years, their efforts during Movember have raised more than $12 million, directly benefitting 37 men’s health programmes in the country.
Worldwide, over NZ$919 million has been raised since 2003 and 1000 men’s health projects have been funded.
“This year more people than ever before will be able to show their support and get in behind the cause by growing a Virtual Mo on their smartphone,” said Movember NZ’s Robert Dunne.
“The Virtual Mo makes Movember accessible to almost anyone. It’s a great way to engage a much wider community and give Mo Sistas another brilliant way to engage with Movember.”
Prostate cancer threat
For potential Mo Bros, Mo Sistas and Virtual Mo growers looking for the motivation to get involved, men’s health statistics speak for themselves.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among Kiwi men, with approximately 3000 cases registered each year with testicular cancer the most prolific amongst younger men aged 15 to 35 years. Alarmingly, one in eight New Zealand men will suffer from depression over their lifetime and our youth suicide rates continue to be one of the highest in the world.
Helping change the face of men’s health has never been easier. Just download the Virtual Mo app at Google Play and get growing:
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