Summary
Smoking remains a leading cause of preventable illness and death and a major UK public health challenge, yet engagement with stop smoking services is low among certain groups, particularly men from lower socio-economic groups (C2, D, E) engaged in routine and manual work.
Recognising this challenge, East Sussex Council commissioned Hitch Marketing to develop a targeted smoking cessation campaign designed to increase motivation and drive quit attempts.
The ‘It’s Well Worth It’ campaign was designed to increase belief in the ability to quit, raise awareness that quit attempts are three times more successful with professional support, and to improve knowledge of available stop-smoking services.
Our Approach
The campaign was developed using a behavioural insights-driven approach. This incorporated desk research to identify key behavioural barriers and audience segmentation, alongside co-creation workshops that engaged the target audience to refine messaging, imagery and calls-to-action. It was underpinned by behavioural segmentation, with a focus on high-risk groups - particularly men in routine and manual work from lower socio-economic backgrounds - to ensure interventions were targeted and effective.
The Theory of Planned Behaviour guided the design of messages addressing attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control, strengthening motivation and belief in the ability to quit. By tackling misconceptions about quitting success rates and highlighting the increased effectiveness of professional support, the campaign applied these theories to shape culturally relevant, action-driven messaging that encouraged engagement with stop-smoking services.
Research Findings
Research found that knowledge and awareness of the stop-smoking service in East Sussex was low, with participants unaware that the service was free. Smoking behaviours were deeply engrained in daily habits and routines, affecting the physical and social opportunity to stop and impacting automatic motivation, particularly where smoking is embedded in workplace culture and stopping comes with a fear of “missing out” on the social side of smoking breaks.
Reflective motivation to stop was driven mainly by health concerns, including a wish to be healthier for children, while the cost of smoking was not a key driver. Participants preferred campaign imagery that was positive rather than fear-inducing and valued real stories from East Sussex. As participants were divided on whether facts or personal reflections should be included, the campaign ultimately used a combination of both.
Execution
The campaign focused on behavioural change by:
- Addressing misconceptions around quitting success rates;
- Building motivation among high-prevalence groups by showing other people with similar characteristics who were able to stop smoking;
- Creating clear, action-driven messaging to direct people to stop smoking services.
Messaging was designed to be straightforward, relatable, and culturally relevant to engage men in routine and manual work who may not typically access smoking cessation support. The campaign focused on specific locations in East Sussex with high levels of smoking and deprivation, ensuring the approach was clear, relatable, and actionable.
The campaign was delivered through multiple channels including social media platforms and Out-of-Home placements such as bus stops, digital 6-sheets, GP waiting rooms, and hospitals. To support wider reach and consistency, a stakeholder toolkit was also developed, enabling partners to share campaign materials within their own networks.
Results
Evaluation using the RE-AIM framework showed higher engagement rates with smoking cessation services compared with previous campaigns, alongside cross-regional uptake, with local authorities across the UK adopting the campaign due to its effectiveness. It also demonstrated improved awareness that stop-smoking services increase quit success rates, and greater reach through digital and out-of-home channels, with campaign assets widely viewed and shared.
Given the success of the campaign, the approach was later adopted across the UK including Kent, West Sussex, Surrey, Oxfordshire, Brighton, Portsmouth and Liverpool. The campaign materials were tailored for each area, incorporating local branding while maintaining the core messaging.\
In East Sussex further research has occurred with marginalised groups and individuals who were identified to be more likely to smoke including people with COPD, people who are LGBTQ+, individuals with serious mental illness and Eastern Europeans.
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The theoretical underpinning for the project was shared at the World Social Marketing Conference 2025 in Spain. View the poster below.
