The strategy

It takes the average smoker five or six attempts before they quit for good. The Department of Health needed to motivate smokers who had previously dismissed tobacco control messages.

Research showed that use of multiple strategies is the best technique to prevent smokers from dismissing these messages and also suggested that testimonials are the most effective way of delivering high recognition.

The creative

The creative had to deliver more than just information; it had to communicate with smokers in fresh and challenging ways. By developing a testimonial-based campaign, the NHS could expose smokers to the many realities of smoking. With real smokers, telling it like it is, the campaign showed smokers the future that may await them if they didn’t quit. One of the most recognisable adverts featured Anthony Hicks, a 58-year-old smoker with throat and lung cancer, lying in a hospital bed struggling to breathe. In the advert, Mr Hicks talks about his illness and how his daughter is due to visit him from the United States. The following image says he died 10 days after filming, and never got to see his daughters again.

The results

The testimonial campaign built up incredible awareness over time with almost total penetration at 93% recognition (3% of households didn’t have a television).

• The number of smokers who claim to have taken action as a result of seeing the advertising almost doubled from 33% in 2002 to 50% in 2003, with the majority of smokers claiming to have discussed giving up with friends, family, their GP or having cut down
• During the campaign period there was also a big shift in the number of smokers moving from having no plan to quit (down by 7 ppts to 64%) to trying to quit (up by 4 ppts to 8%), effectively doubling the number of quitters

Media

• TV
• Radio
• Press ads
• Outdoor

Awards

2005 The British Arrows BTAA Awards 2005

• Bronze Award for Public service for ‘Anthony Hicks’

2005, Creative Circle Awards

• Silver, Best Use of Production Budget under £50,000