Marketing moustaches

So by now 'Movember' is in full force, it's shaping up to be the biggest fundraiser for men's health with over five million dollars donated already. It's good we're finally seeing more and more fundraisers for men's health problems, especially when more people die from prostate cancer than breast cancer, yet the pink ribbon movement is so much more developed and out in the open than male cancer fundraisers. Maybe the lower fatality rate from breast cancer is testament to the awareness campaigns, but more people are diagnosed with prostate cancer than breast cancer as well so...maybe not. Anyway, I've just been seeing these Movember posters all around the university and thought that maybe they could be more effective. First of all, the posters are almost a vomit yellow colour and did not attract my eyes straight away, though I obviously looked at it eventually. I took the above picture without flash with plenty of backlight then took the below photo with flash. I think if the poster was brighter yellow it would be more of a novel stimuli and demand attention, just like I remember the Kill Bill dvds lined up at the video shop in dazzling yellow.

Secondly, I think there is a bit too much text going on. This isn't helped by the dudes who have written over the poster in marker with their phone numbers for you to donate money to them, but there is still a bit too much clutter and irrelevant (and not exceptionally entertaining) information on it. I think maybe the moustache logo could be a bit bigger. Anyway I do approve of the moustache style guide...

I think they should have printed more of those out, they are funny (could have funnier names though) and it is a striking poster.

And I found this with a simple google image search to see where they borrowed the idea from...

Nevertheless, Movember seems to be a wild success, and it is a priceless picture seeing 15 grown men with moustaches lined up at a Grilld store waiting for their free burger. And the Movember boys who created this 'charity' event appear to be laughing all the way to the bank, from what I hear.