The move comes after Beckham, Ferdinand and James appeared with Home Secretary Jacqui Smith at a press conference backing the Government’s It Doesn’t Have to Happen anti-knife crime drive on Monday (August 18).

At the event, Beckham revealed how a childhood friend had been left paralysed after being stabbed.

The Home Office hopes to build on the success of the attention-grabbing press conference by seeding the viral ads on a specially created It Doesn’t Have to Happen Bebo page. The page also hosts a Home Office competition to design a campaign logo.

Ferdinand and James are also believed to be in discussions with Smith and Deputy Assistant Commissioner Alf Hitchcock, leading police officer on the initiative. It is thought a number of ideas are being developed to back the campaign, including supporting Ferdinand’s Live the Dream foundation, set up to mentor teenagers.

The Government’s anti-knife advertising work is handled by Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R.

Marketing Week 21.08.08