Armani campaign sees Golden Balls’ popularity rise

Former England captain David Beckham’s underwear photographs may have embarrassed his mum, but the half-naked shots of Becks in his briefs doubled the number of online searches made for the LA Galaxy footballer on Live Search (live.co.uk) last week.

After the billboard was unveiled in San Francisco last week, UK searches for ‘David Beckham’ increased by 97% from Thursday to Friday. Across the pond in the United States where the advert broke slightly earlier, searches for the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star also increased, this time by 88% from Wednesday to Thursday.

Whilst stints in rehab or adopting foreign children may grab the headlines for some stars, it seems that flashing the flesh is still the best way for a celeb to grab the headlines. And with further billboards set to be put up in London, Milan, New York, Rome, Los Angeles, Paris and Tokyo, Golden Balls will be further sending hearts a flutter around the world.

Live Search Product Manager, Marie Thirlwall, said: “Beck’s billboard campaign not only set pulses racing, but sent his search figures through the roof in the UK and US. Such increases in popularity normally happen with big news and sport stories, not a man flashing his underpants!”