Mayor of London and AMV BBDO Recruit Young Artists to Spread Anti-Knife Awareness

An inspirational new anti-knife crime campaign for The Mayor of London by AMV BBDO rises above the scare and shock tactics of old and employs a new influencer-led strategy to empower and champion this notoriously hard-to-reach audience.

 

Aimed at 13-16 year old Londoners the campaign message is clear; LONDON NEEDS YOU ALIVE. DON’T CARRY A KNIFE. Created as a movement for all Londoners to get behind, it aims to positively influence young Londoners to actively choose not to carry a knife, by highlighting how valuable they are to London, to their family and friends and how by using their talent, and not picking up a knife, they can accomplish great things.

 

The campaign asks young people to tell their friends and family why London needs them alive and why they shouldn’t carry a knife via social media.

 

Some of London’s most influential young artists – from grime and rap stars to poets, bloggers and photographers – and anti-knife crime campaigners joined the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, to launch the campaign.

The agency spoke to young people during the campaign development. Many were coping with issues greater than their young years, are role models to younger siblings and have a resilience that is truly inspiring. What was shocking to the agency was the little content out in the world that puts real value on these kids’ lives.

 

As part of the campaign a LNYA film is also being seeded across social media. Shot by directing duo, Novemba through Academy Films it stars real kids from schools across London delivering their powerful messages to camera.

 

Stills for the campaign employed a unique production process with AMV BBDO choosing professional photographer Tom Sloan to mentor two young photographers from the boroughs effected by Knife Crime, sourced for the shoot by Photofusion, a Brixton based charity working with young Londoners. The fledgling photographers were mentored throughout the project and given access to professional post production to help create the stills which will go out on Instagram and on poster sites across London. The aim is for the work to also be exhibited within Photo Fusion’s HQ and in City Hall.

 

AMV BBDO also worked with Island Records alongside other leading figures in the grime and urban music scene to champion the LNYA movement. The support and affection for the campaign has been incredible, inspiring one grime artist, Bossman Birdie to pen a track about the cause.