The gruesome images (see below), which show open wounds and blades sticking out of people's bodies, will feature in ads distributed on the internet and mobiles.
The ad takes the form of a mock medical lecture, while another viral ad shows CCTV footage of a fight in which the youth who first pulled out a knife is stabbed.
The campaign, which also features radio ads and postcards, was created by Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R. It grew out of a summit in April involving 18 young people, with help from creative agency Uproar.
Tony Harris, deputy chairman at RKCR/Y&R, said: "Putting the agency's resources at the disposal of such fresh creative thinkers and helping shape their ideas into such such a powerful campaign was an extremely experience for all involved here."
The two radio ads, which feature victims' families talking about the effect on their lives, break on June 2. The postcard, showing a thumbless hand, will be distributed to young people by street marketing teams.
All the ads, as well as more information, discussions and blogs, can be seen on a dedicated website set up on social network Bebo -- .
The campaign also built on two important insights emerging from discussions with 10- to 16-year-olds two months earlier.
The first was that young people carry knives out of fear and need help in making positive choices to distance themselves from violence, aggression and situations where knife carrying is required and accepted.
Vernon Coaker, Home Office minister, said: "People have got to get the message that if they carry a knife, there's more chance of it being used against them."
The second was a dislike and lack of respect for authority figures who may have acted violently towards them or failed to keep them protected (matriarchal figures being the exception).
There will be a parallel ad campaign aimed at mothers, encouraging them to talk about knives with their children and to offer them support.
Khadijah Murchison, an 18-year-old from Bristol, said: "All the young people that went to the Creative Summit have been affected by knife crime, so to share our experiences with each other and come up with ideas and adverts that will help reduce knife crime was great.
"Hopefully, it will make a real difference."