Switch Your Razor to a Razr: Motorola Teams Up with Movember to Change the Conversation Around Men’s Health
Why we’re putting the razors down this November
Yes, we know. A phone brand named its flip phone after the thing you shave with, and now it’s asking you to stop shaving. We couldn’t resist.
But there’s a serious idea behind the pun. Your phone is already how you keep up with most people in your life, which makes it a pretty good place to start a harder conversation too.
But checking in on someone doesn’t need a big gesture. Usually it’s just one message, sent at the right moment, by someone who means it.
What Movember is really about
Movember started in 2003, when a group of mates in Melbourne decided to bring the moustache back for a month. Today, it funds men’s health projects around the world. The moustache is the bit that everyone sees, but it’s really a conversation starter for three issues that affect men far more than most people realise.
Mental health and suicide prevention
Men make up around three-quarters of suicides in the UK. Plenty of men find it hard to say they’re struggling, and plenty of the people around them aren’t sure how to ask. Movember funds programmes that help men talk sooner and help friends and family spot the signs.
Prostate cancer
Around 1 in 8 men in the UK will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, and catching it early makes a real difference. That’s why Movember encourages men to know their risk and speak to their GP, especially as they get older or if it runs in the family.
Testicular cancer
Testicular cancer is one of the most common cancers in young men. It’s also one of the most treatable when it’s found early. A regular self-check takes a couple of minutes, and Movember has a simple guide on how to do it.
How to check in on someone using just your phone
You don’t need to know the perfect words. Movember’s ALEC approach gives you a simple structure to follow: Ask, Listen, Encourage action and Check in. Here’s how each step can work from the phone in your pocket.
Ask
Start with something simple and specific. “You’ve seemed a bit quiet lately. How are you really doing?” lands far better than a breezy “you alright?”. A text is fine, and so is a voice note on your walk home, or a video call where you can see their face. If the first answer is just “fine”, it’s OK to ask again.
Listen
If they open up, let them talk. On a call, switch on Do Not Disturb so other notifications don’t pull your attention away. Try not to jump straight in with fixes. Sometimes the most useful thing you can say is “That sounds really tough. Thanks for telling me.”
Encourage action
Once they’ve talked, help them think about what might help. That could be booking a GP appointment, speaking to a professional, or picking back up something they’ve stopped doing, like Sunday five-a-side. You can offer practical help too, like sending them a support line number or offering to go along with them. In the UK, Samaritans are available 24/7 on 116 123.
Check in
This is the step people forget. Set a reminder on your phone for a few days’ time, then follow up. A quick “Been thinking about you since we spoke. How are things?” shows you meant it.
Ways to get involved this Movember
There’s no wrong way to take part, and you don’t need any facial hair to do it.
- Grow a Mo. Start clean-shaven on 1 November and let it grow for 30 days, raising money as it fills in (or doesn’t).
- Walk or run 60km over the month, one for each of the 60 men lost to suicide every hour around the world.
- Turn a quiz night, bake-off or five-a-side match into a fundraiser.
- Back a friend’s page, or give directly to Movember.
You can sign up and find out more at Movember.com.
Pick up the phone
Growing a Mo is fun, but checking in on a mate is what really counts. So, this November, put the razor down, pick up your razr (or whatever phone you’ve got), and send the message you’ve been meaning to send.
Motorola x Movember. Switch your razor to a razr.
