The call to grow a mustache is one of the smartest movement-building ideas we’ve seen in a long time. Since the movement began in 2003, over one million men (and supporting women) across the globe, have gotten involved in the famous Movember campaign, raising awareness and vital funds for prostate cancer.

The movement has been particularly successful in Canada, with 119,000 Canadians participating in last year’s campaign, raising $22.3 million. And in its early stages this year, Canadians are already leading the pack in the number of participants (197,547) and donations ($9,738,947).

So why is this movement so successful? Why do so many Canadian men secretly want the excuse to grow a stache?

To get to the bottom of this, we spoke to the Mo’s at Manifest to gain some insight into their hairy desires and their beliefs as to why the campaign is such a success…

Top 13 reasons for the Movember movement’s success:

1. It’s every man’s secret desire to look like Tom Selleck.
2. It’s a throwback to the 70’s. And face it, vintage is hot right now.
3. It’s one of the few times of year a regular dude can grow a stache and not be mistaken for either a wanna-be hipster or creepy uncle Bill.
4. In a word, it’s funny (and a great excuse to see if the ladies dig it).
5. Men + competition. Need we say more?
6. It’s something your wife wouldn’t normally let you do.
7. It’s like belonging to a club. A man’s club.
8. Lots of guys don’t jog.
9. Finally, something for the guys, not the girls.
10. It connects men to their lumberjack roots (just add a little plaid).
11. It’s like Halloween for 30 days in a row.
12. Every man wants to look like a 70’s porn star.
13. It’s an easy, accessible way to get involved.

So what can we learn from our furry friends?

Growing a stache is something most men wouldn’t feel comfortable doing on their own, and Movember gives them the excuse they need to let loose, without interjections from bosses or wives. It connects men across Canada – nods are exchanged on the subway and conversations are started in elevators. It’s about doing good, while tapping into secret desires and making an outdated look socially acceptable, if even just for a little while

So with the Movember mystery solved, we now want to know what the “stache-growing” equivalent for women is?  What’s the equivalent for society at large? What’s the secret, “socially-unacceptable” but desirable, silly, memorable thing that we can all tap into? What’s the next big MOvement?

(To support the Mo’s at Manifest visit http://mobro.co/manfest)

Steph M. and Alexis