From Meme to Movement - Insights into growing a Movember
1. Analysis of social media
conversations about
Movember
29 November 2012
Contact:
James Withey
Head of Brand Insight
james.withey@precise.co.uk
T: +44 (0)20 7264 6316
www.precise.co.uk
2. Contents
Objectives and methodology 3
Summary of key findings 4
Analysis of conversations about Movember 2009-2012 7
Analysis of 2012 UK social media conversations about Movember 11
Conclusions and considerations 19
Appendix 22
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3. Objectives and methodology
Objectives Methodology
n To provide an overview of social media n We identified all accessible English-language
conversations about Movember. mentions of Movember (including Twitter
handles) within social media (Twitter,
n To show how these conversations have Facebook, forums, comments, blogs, videos
changed in volume and type since 2009. and images) between 1 and 25 November in
2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.
n To provide an analysis of UK social media
n We then conducted an analysis of the
conversations about Movember in 2012, in
terms of sentiment towards the campaign and sentiment and focus of Twitter posts
generated in the UK between 1 and 25
key drivers of conversation.
November 2012.
n We also identified the volume of social media
posts mentioning each ‘Friend of Movember’
in connection with the campaign, and
analysed a sample of c.100 posts for each in
terms of sentiment.
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4. Summary of key findings (i)
n Since its origins in Australia 1999, social n Although the United States has remained
media conversations of Movember have the most prominent country in which social
increased significantly, particularly within the media conversations about Movember are
last four years, with the volume of generated, 2010 was also the year in which
conversations in 2012 outweighing the volume interest in the campaign went global, and
of conversations in 2009 by a ratio of more there is now substantial interest in countries
than 51:1. However it seems the increase has such as the United Kingdom, South Africa and
begun to tail off. the Netherlands.
n It appears that 2010 was Movember’s Founding Movember nation Australia has seen
seminal year, with the volume of its share decline, as more populous countries
conversations increasing more than 700% have come to the fore.
compared to the previous year.
n Twitter has become the most prominent
channel through which opinions and
information about Movember is shared,
accounting for a greater proportion of content
year-on-year since 2009.
4 Movember Social Media Analysis
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5. Summary of key findings (ii)
n UK Twitter conversations generated in n Fundraising and donating was the second
2012 peaked on the first day of the month most prominent topic, with people asking
as people announced the start of the and encouraging contributions through
campaign and declared their involvement. Tweets.
The volume of conversations then fell sharply,
but remained fairly consistent throughout the n A significant proportion of posts
rest of the month, averaging at just over 11k commented on other people’s moustaches,
posts a day, as people continued to share with celebrities such as Michael Owen and
updates regarding their progress. other sports stars a common feature.
Celebrities and prominent organisations also
n UK Twitter conversations generated in generated the tweets which reached the
2012 were largely positive towards the greatest potential number of followers,
campaign. suggesting they are highly influential in driving
conversations about Movember.
n Posts from people discussing taking part
dominated conversations. Updates of
people’s Movember progress tended to
include an image, with the visual display of
participation driving a high volume of posts.
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6. Summary of key findings (ii)
n Celebrities Tweeting about Movember and
reaching the greatest volume of followers
were mostly men and included comedians,
chefs, businessmen and sports stars. The
five tweets reaching the greatest number of
followers were from Stephen Fry, Ricky
Gervais, Alan Carr, Jamie Oliver and Richard
Branson.
n Mentions citing Movember’s aims to raise
awareness of men’s health issues
accounted for less than 10% of overall
conversations.
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8. The growth of Movember
n Social media conversations about Movember have increased significantly since 2009, with 2010 the
real breakthrough year within social media. The volume of conversations in 2012 outweighed the
volume of conversations in 2009 by a ratio of more than 51:1. However it seems the increase has
begun to tail off.
2009 2010 2011 2012
Overall Volume 31,700 266,583 771,474 1,631,143
% Increase - 741% 189% 111%
Volume of Social Media Mentions of Movember
1,800,000
1,600,000 782,017 mentions of the
1,400,000 #Movember hash tag.
1,200,000
1,000,000
800,000
600,000
400,000
200,000
0
2009 2010 2011 2012
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9. The globalisation of Movember
n It appears that Movember truly went global in 2010 and has remained that way since, with a spread
of conversations in a wide range of countries.
1-25 Nov 2009 1-25 Nov 2010
United
Kingdom
10% United
Australia Kingdom Canada
7% 17% 16%
Canada
Australia
United 7%
Ireland 5%
States*
71% Other 1% United Ireland
4% States* 1%
Other
56% 5%
1-25 Nov 2011 1-25 Nov 2012
Canada
United United 11%
KingdomCanada Australia Kingdom
Netherlands
23% 16% 3% 21% 3%
United South Africa Australia
Other
States* 1% 2%
Other 9%
52%
5% United
States*
54%
9 Movember Social Media Analysis * Includes content for which location information is not available
29 November 2012
10. Channels of conversations about Movember
n Twitter has become the dominant channel through which Movember updates and comments are
shared.
1-25 Nov 2009 Blogs 1-25 Nov 2010
20%
Facebook
Forums 9% Blogs
11% 5%
Forums
Videos/ 3%
Images Videos/
Twitter 6% Twitter Images
59% Facebook 79% 2%
2% Comments
Comments
2% 2%
1-25 Nov 2011 1-25 Nov 2012
Facebook
Forums 4%
3% Blogs Forums
2% Videos/ 1%
Twitter Images
Blogs
93% 1% 1%
Comments Twitter
1% 93% Comments
Facebook Videos/ 1%
<1% Images
<1%
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12. Trend in conversations about Movember
UK social media conversations, 1–25 Nov 2012
n Mentions of Movember within UK social media peaked on the first day of the month as people
declared their involvement. The volume of conversations then fell sharply, but remained fairly
consistent through the rest of the month, averaging at just over 11k posts a day.
Volume of UK Social Media Mentions of Movember Over Time
80,000
70,000
Volume of social media posts
60,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
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13. Tweets about Movember reaching the most followers
UK social media conversations, 1–25 Nov 2012
User Tweet Followers
STEPHENFRY For those puzzled by my appearance: http://t.co/PnClYvFH It is of course now #movember #MoMonday is the day to tag yourself 4,984,980
RICKYGERVAIS The best Movember pic you will ever see... #AnIdiotAbroad3 #Derek Please RT http://t.co/gGpDcrzU 3,393,072
RICKYGERVAIS Happy Movember http://t.co/ZWvp0hZ7 3,382,128
For those asking if im partaking in Movember - sadly no, i have such low testosterone levels that it would be late spring before u saw
ALANCARR 2,958,578
tache
Support MOVEMBER charity with these bad boys caps go to #luckysevencaps #movember #ja @ MOVEMBER CAPS ARE GO http://
JAMIEOLIVER 2,744,771
t.co/34Gl5S73
Mo brothers Mo sisters I hope your supporting MOVEMBER to support this great men's cancer @ MOVEMBER is back http://t.co/
JAMIEOLIVER 2,699,821
Mi5CXlmO
RT @NigelTHEWright: @jamieoliver please RT - 47% of testicular cancer cases occur in men under 35 years Pls support my
JAMIEOLIVER 2,678,464
#Movember efforts: http://t.co/dvY7NeUi
JAMIEOLIVER Movember is here guys!! As its the first of Movember & moustache season is here, help rai @ MOVEMBER is back http://t.co/6iBRpdEe 2,678,376
RICHARDBRANSON @rotub happy birthday @VirginMobileAus - pin the ‘stache just in time for Movember too! 2,594,000
RT @hairy_fish: @Lord_Sugar any chance of a rt? I'm trying everything I can to beat my movember record of £200 from last year http://
LORD_SUGAR 2,437,577
t.co/tzVD4704
THEXFACTOR RT @XFACTORSTYLE: MICKY as Mario for #MOVEMBER MISSING YOU @District3Music <3 http://t.co/UYwRMesT 2,120,447
THEXFACTOR “@XFACTORSTYLE: Greg has done well this #MOVEMBER http://t.co/xIF21oIY” @district3music 2,039,829
RT @RMcCormick2012: hey guys! i have set up a Movember account! get involved!! grow a stache or donate!! #movember
TOMDALEY1994 2,020,118
#prostatecancer http://t.co/3nR7Q6GR
ARSENAL Theo Walcott is taking part in #Movember. Find out how he's getting on and show your support for a good cause: http://t.co/rLbQEaVt 1,965,335
RT @Del_Von_Boy: The tach needs some & I need to break thru the £500 barrier. Give me some dosh & you may win a signed
MARKWRIGHT_ 1,846,271
calendar from @MarkWright_ #movember
RT @DanielFolley: @MissKatiePrice retweet of my #movember would be much appreciated great cause http://t.co/jvdLvPxo http://t.co/
MISSKATIEPRICE 1,708,905
ABpmV4Hi
oh daniel xx @g00dshepherd Ok you Mofos, here is my 'nasty' ggrrr tashamondo http://t.co/PlidcoIG make this worthwhile #mobro
MISSKATIEPRICE 1,708,233
#movember
MISSKATIEPRICE ill see it tomoz then bro xx @g00dshepherd .......and a new tash is born! To be revealed 15th November #mobro #movember 1,707,995
gd luck x @claire_homes @poomtang72 Check out my #Movember effort to change the face of mens health @ http://t.co/beGiab5F pls
MISSKATIEPRICE 1,707,447
RT
CALVINHARRIS Please look at @CharlieTadman's Movember pics (they're hilarious) + donate generously for prostate cancer http://t.co/OwaAdlxC 1,690,067
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14. Topics and sentiment of conversations about Movember
UK social media conversations, 1–25 Nov 2012
Topics and Broad Sentiment of UK Twitter Conversations about Movember*
1 – 25 Nov 2012
Taking part & sharing photos
Fundraising & donating
Commenting on other people's moustaches
Merchandise, events & competitions
Raising awareness of health issues
Negativity surrounding moustaches
Other
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
Proportion of social media posts
Broadly Positive Broadly Negative Broadly Neutral/ Balanced
14 Movember Social Media Analysis * Based on English-language Twitter content only
29 November 2012
15. Analysis of conversations about Movember (i)
UK social media conversations, 1–25 Nov 2012
n UK Twitter conversations generated in n Fundraising and donating was the second
2012 were largely positive towards the most prominent topic, with people calling for
campaign (“Loving the #mobro camaraderie. support and donations via Twitter (“Support
Some stylish lads here @unibirmingham”). my Mo! A good deed brightens a hairy world.
Pls give so my #Movember Mo may
n Posts from people discussing taking part grow: http://t.co/atyzLtjz”).
dominated conversations. The visual display
of participation was a key driver of posts about
Movember, with the vast majority of posts
containing an image link. A large number of
participants used social media updates to
mark their progress, with many citing how
many days into Movember they were (“Day 10
of Movember & I'm looking as good as ever!
please donate if you can afford to part with
some pounds, thank you http://t.co/
l9IOB3KW”).
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16. Analysis of conversations about Movember (ii)
UK social media conversations, 1–25 Nov 2012
n A significant proportion of posts n Mentions citing Movember’s aims to raise
commented on other people’s moustaches, awareness of men’s health issues
with celebrities such as Michael Owen and accounted for less than 10% of overall
other sports stars a common feature conversations (“10,000 men die of prostate
(“@themichaelowen great effort with the cancer in the UK each yr. Pls support my
handlebar moustache! #movember”). #Movember efforts @ http://mosista.co/
rosafingermo”), suggesting the key messages
n Celebrities and prominent organisations of the campaign my be getting lost amid the
vast number of ‘update’ posts.
also generated the tweets which reached
the greatest potential number of followers,
suggesting they are highly influential in driving
conversations about Movember. For example,
Stephen Fry’s tweet reached almost 5m
followers: “For those puzzled by my
appearance: http://t.co/PnClYvFH It is of
course now #movember #MoMonday is the
day to tag yourself”.
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17. Prominence of mentions of the ‘Friends of Movember’
UK social media conversations, 1–25 Nov 2012
Volume of Mentions Sentiment of Mentions
Gillette Gillette
HP Sauce HP Sauce
TOMS TOMS
Marshall Marshall
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Volume of social media posts Proportion of social media posts
Positive Negative Neutral/ Balanced
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18. Analysis of conversations about the ‘Friends of Movember’
UK social media conversations, 1–25 Nov 2012
n The ‘Friends of Movember’ were mentioned n Marshall and TOMS also drove
in a relatively low number of posts, conversations through competitions and
compared to the overall volumes for product branding.
Movember.
n Gillette drove the highest volume of
content, however it also prompted the
largest amount of negativity. There was
evidence of animosity towards the perceived
commercialisation of Movember , as well as
posts suggesting that the Gillette Brand is a
poor ‘fit’ with the Movember campaign.
n The other brands drove more positive
comments, with HP Sauce driving
conversations through competitions,
giveaways, Facebook activity and product
branding.
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20. Conclusions and considerations (i)
n Movember has proved to be a highly 3. Personality: the growing of a moustache,
successful charity campaign, with interest which was once considered to be out of
growing significantly over the past four years. fashion, has been made humorous and cool
The success of the campaign in driving a high through the Movember campaign. The
volume of social media conversations may be increased nostalgia and desire for things that
linked to what are often considered the key are deemed to be old-fashioned or uncool
motivations for sharing information and appears to have grown. Movember, and the
opinions across the social web: growing of a moustache, appears to have
effectively tapped into this heightened sense of
nostalgia, giving people a chance to show their
personality and feel a sense of inclusion.
1. Ego: posting comments about the Movember
campaign – and sharing visual images of
participation – gives people a chance to show “Best thing about @MovemberUk is the
that they are ‘in the know’ about topical events cheeky knowing nod you get from a fellow
and part of a group initiative. #MoBro in the street. No words needed.”
2. Heart: broadcasting involvement in the
Movember campaign across the social web
gives people a chance to show that they care
about the world and contribute to good causes.
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21. Conclusions and considerations (iii)
n Movember has sustained momentum after n The fact that there was a higher proportion
its seminal year in 2010, but the level of of posts discussing participation without
increase is now waning. This may be due to mentioning fund-raising than there were
the fact the campaign is advancing towards posts encouraging donations suggests that
saturation in terms of awareness. However, the key aims of the campaign may be getting
there is a risk it may be at the top of the lost, despite high involvement levels.
adoption curve, and faces a challenge to
remain relevant and interesting. Furthermore, n Furthermore, posts talking about raising
an analysis of posts mentioning the ‘Friends of awareness of men’s health issues were
Movember’ reveals evidence of resistance to relatively inconspicuous.
the involvement of brands in what was
previously a grass-roots movement.
n There is a challenge to continue to
increase interest in and conversations
n The success of Movember in tapping into about participating in Movember, but also
today’s heightened sense of nostalgia for in its aims, i.e. fundraising and raising
old or unfashionable things means that if it awareness of men’s health issues. Furthering
succeeds in driving widespread Movember’s key messages through celebrities
participation, it may lose some of its may be one way to do this, considering their
original attraction. Furthermore, the current influence on social media conversations.
popularity of the occasional moustache may
prove to be a fad, but the charitable causes
behind the campaign will remain relevant.
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23. Illustrative verbatim
n “Looking forward to seeing n “Totally loving england rugby teams effort with movember...
@arshadi89's movember progress tonight. Got my mo- Definately beats the england football teams! #rugby
shoes on for the occasion #mosister” #movember”
n “@KenbirdBird @craigbrightwell #Movember day 10. n “How girls support Movember! #movember #mug
Looking good #MoBro. I could get a job as an 80s #moustache http://t.co/qcdbGeeI”
detective. @MovemberUK #RT”
n “Please help support my mo growing efforts for men's
n “@itskimwebster *nods* #Movember raises money and health @movember&sons under John Brady any donation
awareness for men's health issues such as prostate is appreciated #Movember #giving”
cancer.”
n “RT @Phil_Whitewell: 10,000 men die of prostate cancer in
n “This week's #movember effort..... New one next week but the UK each yr. Pls support my #Movember efforts @
this is so Charles bronson esq I love it #tash #mo # http:// http://t.co/UFtUyyo0”
t.co/gdoH3iDl”
n “the nod of acknowledgement and approval to/from an
n “haha like seeing the pros doing Movember like jagielka lol” unknown fellow #mobro at tesco. I salute you.
#brotherhood #movember”
n @Movember Deeky the NEW #MoBro hand crafted with a n “Testicular #cancer affects around 2,000 men a year in the
@GilletteUK Razor #Proud? #Movember#LetItMo” UK. #Movember #MensHealth”
n “Day 26 four days of awesome mo days left #Movember n “#movember is rubbish, especially now gillette leach off the
#Mobro http://t.co/WzA4fxsD” back of it! #shavelikearealman instagr.am/p/Sd6hJIQr8u/”
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24. Illustrative verbatim
n “Is Gillette's advertising involvement with #Movember to be
expected or taking advantage of the hard earned charity
exposure..”
n “Is it just me or is it odd that Gillette sponsor Movember?
It's like Carlsberg sponsoring Alcoholics Anonymous.”
n “I suppose it was only a matter of time until brands starting
targeting #Movember. Kinda spoils the good spirit. Well
done #Gillette”
n “I just made my favourite purchase of the year... Double
whammy, supporting @TOMS and @MovemberUK.
#Movember #OneForOne http://t.co/E3Vf5UYc”
n “Love how @TOMS are doing shoes to support Movember!
#bigrespect”
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