Rio Ferdinand and Jamie Moralee exchange tales of friendship for Calm's 'Best Man Project'
The Campaign Against Living Miserably (Calm) has turned to Ex-England footballer and pundit Rio Ferdinand to front the latest film in its 'Best Man Project'.
The initiative celebrates the power of friendships and supports men in looking out for their mates
The initiative celebrates the power of friendships and supports men in looking out for their mates, with the most recent film showing the former Manchester United defender chatting through his own experiences with friend and fellow ex-footballer Jamie Moralee.
The pair join a growing list of celebrities who have endorsed the capaign, including The Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex, Loyle Carner, Roman Kemp and Humza Arshad.
Conceived as part of The Drum's annual Do it Day event, which last year brought marketers together to find solutions to some of the UK's most pressing mental health issues, the 'Best Man Project' has been running since November 2017.
Through it, the charity aims to get men to open up about when they're feeling low or facing a crisis. The original concept came from the idea that being a best man was when a man was at peak 'best friend' mode, with Calm imploring men to make sure this is the case all year round.
Simon Gunning, chief of Calm, said: “Friendships can have a hugely positive effect on men’s wellbeing, so we’re delighted to have the support of Rio and Jamie in shining a light on the important issue of male mental health.
"Building and maintaining connections with others can be genuinely lifesaving for men, and that’s what CALM’s Best Man Project is all about.”
Ferdinand recently picked up a Bafta TV award for his 2017 documentary Being Mum and Dad, which was made following the death of his wife.
Last month, Calm launched Project 84 with Adam&eveDDB; a stunt that placed 84 lifelike mannequins on the ledges of London’s ITV Southbank buildings to raise awareness around male suicide.
