Flight Of The Conchords Mo Up For Movember
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Bret McKenzie
*****
Kiwi comedy duo Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement (aka Flight of the Conchords) try Movember on for size.
The now famous international comedy duo want to show their support for Movember and the New Zealand Cancer Society to
fund prostate cancer research and support services, and the New Zealand Mental Health Foundation’s ‘Out of The Blue’
programme to help men experiencing depression.
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Jemaine Clement
*****
Continuity of filming the hit TV show in the United States prevents the comedy duo from growing Mo’s of their own, but
nonetheless, the Kiwi Mo Bros are keen to try the Mo on for size and encourage Kiwi’s to get behind Movember.
In a recent US visit the Movember crew asked Bret and Jemaine some hairy questions:
What does a moustache say about a man?
Bret: “He’s a sex machine.”
Jemaine: “His top lip is prepared for any weather. It has a shade when it’s hot and a blanket when it’s cold.”
Who has the best moustache ever and why?
Bret: “Salvador Dali. He used it as an antenna to the surreal world.”
Jemaine: “Ernest Rutherford.”
With just under two weeks to go it’s not too late for men to get their grow on, or to donate online.
Participants can register at www.movember.com as an individual or a team (that includes all the ‘Mo Sistas’ out there).
Each person or team registering is allocated a number that friends, family and co-workers can use to donate funds
online.
Ends
Notes to Editors
NZ MOVEMBER CAMPAIGN RESULTS SUMMARY
2006
Number of participating Kiwis (registrations on www.movember.com): 10,755
Dollars Raised: NZD829,986
2007
Number of participating Kiwis (registrations on www.movember.com): 26,484
Dollars Raised: NZD2,165,852
MOVEMBER BY NUMBERS
2008
One in ten men will develop prostate cancer in NZ
2,656 will be diagnosed with prostate cancer every year
600 Kiwi men this year will die from prostate cancer
One in ten NZ men will experience depression at some stage in their lives
The fundraising efforts this year will be split between two of the best health charities in the country. Half will go
to the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand's Out of the Blue campaign to help men experiencing depression and the
other half will go to the Cancer Society of New Zealand who need funding for existing prostate cancer research programs
and men's health programs.
Movember prides itself as a reputable fundraising organisation, fundraising and administration costs represent less
than 16% of the total funds raised; this is world’s best practice when compared with other charities which average 19%
2007
Movember was the number one male health event in New Zealand
A total of $2.1 million dollars was raised in NZ, almost a dollar for every male in NZ (based on population of 4.2
million)
Telecom raised the most funds with $28,000 raise compared to all other corporate organisations that participated. Air
NZ followed closed behind ($22,000) and Kiwi Property Management ($19,000)
26,000 participants registered on the Movember website (Movember.com), compared with 11, 099 participants in 2006, a
134% growth
More than 63,500 individuals donated to the cause, 155% per cent up from 2007 with 24,880
The Movember website received 285,440 unique visitors between October and November, resulting in more than 280,000
people exposed to the men’s health message
2,800 Mo Bro’s and Mo Sista’s attended the Movember Gala Parties throughout the country
The 2007 campaigns run in Australia, New Zealand, UK, USA, Canada and Spain had more than 134,000 Mo Bros and Mo
Sistas participating; however the number of people who received health messages directly from Mo Bros and Mo Sistas is
estimated at almost 10 million
Q
What is Movember?
Movember (the month formally known as November) is a charity event held during November each year.
At the start of Movember, guys register with a clean shaven face. The Movember participants known as Mo Bros then have
the remainder of the month to grow and groom their moustache and along the way raise as much money and awareness about
male health issues as possible.
Movember culminates at the end of month Gala Partés in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. These glamorous and
groomed events will see Tom Selleck and Richard Hadlee look-a-likes battle it out on the catwalk for their chance to
take home the prestigious Man of Movember title.
While growing a Mo is left to the guys, Mo Sistas (ladies that support their guys or love Mo's!) form an important part
of Movember with their powerful feminine touch, by joining teams, recruiting Mo Bros, helping to raise funds and
attending the highly anticipated Gala Partés.
But it's not all fun and games, so why the extreme behaviour?
Whichever way we look at it, men are far less healthy than women. The average life expectancy of a man in New Zealand is
4 years less than a woman.
The obvious question is why? The answer is because men lack awareness about the very real health issues they face, and
are reluctant to see a doctor about an illness or to go for regular medical checks.
The aim of Movember is to change these attitudes, make male health fun by putting the Mo back on the face of New Zealand
men and in the process raise some serious funds for prostate cancer and men’s depression.
Movember is very proud to be partnering with the Cancer Society of New Zealand to fund prostate cancer research and
support services, and the New Zealand Mental Health Foundation’s ‘Out of The Blue’ campaign to help men experiencing
depression.
Further information is available online at www.movember.com
What is the Movember Foundation?
The Movember Foundation is an Australian based, not for profit, charitable organisation that runs the Movember event
each year.
The aim of the Movember event is to create awareness around men's health issues and raises funds for carefully selected
beneficiaries (charities) in each country, with a focus on two issues that each affect one in ten men; prostate cancer
and depression.
The Movember Foundation has generated over $30 million (AUD) globally to help change the face of men’s health and will
continue to work hard towards this goal for many years to come.
Why has the beneficiary partnership changed with the Movember Foundation for 2008?
As part of Movember’s annual due diligence at the end of the 2007 campaign, the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) along
with other high profile New Zealand charities, were invited to submit proposals on how they would spend future funds
generated by the Movember campaign. This process ensures that funds raised will generate the best possible outcomes for
men’s health in New Zealand. Movember received two outstanding submissions from world class New Zealand charities; the
Cancer Society of New Zealand and the New Zealand Mental Health Foundation.
The PCF received more than three million dollars raised by Movember in the 2006 and 2007 campaigns. With this funding
it’s expected the PCF will be able to achieve their objectives for many years to come.
How does the fundraising agreement work between Movember and the beneficiaries?
All of the money raised by Movember goes directly to the beneficiary partners, at the conclusion of the campaign; the
beneficiaries then pay the Movember Foundation back for the cost of the campaign.
Why?
Because the Movember Foundation funds all the costs and bears all the risks associated with running the campaign in New
Zealand. The Movember Foundation is based in Melbourne and coordinates Movember campaigns in seven countries across the
globe. No event this big happens by itself or is without cost, but the global economy of scale keeps the
fundraising-to-cost ratio very low for the beneficiary partners. In every country including New Zealand the fundraising
and administration costs represent less than 16% of the total funds raised; this is world’s best practice when compared
with other charities which average 19%.
ENDS