AMV BBDO and the Department for Health and Social Care Put the Power to Quit in Smokers' Hands with new Campaign

Feb. 17, 2026

AMV BBDO and the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) have today launched a new national campaign, The Power To Quit Is In Your Hands, to promote the NHS Quit Smoking app and Personal Quit Plan, highlighting that help to quit is never far away.

Built on the insight that smokers are three times more likely to quit successfully when using proven tools and support, the campaign aims to give smokers a sense of hope, empowering them to quit successfully.

Moving away from a traditional focus on the harms of smoking, the creative uses humour and hyperbole to bring the power of support to life, positioning the NHS digital quitting tools as catalysts for change.

The hero film follows a man eating lunch in his work canteen who is invited out for a cigarette by colleagues. Tempted, he appears ready to join them, when his phone suddenly springs to life in his pocket. A powerful light beam bursts out of the phone, drawing him up and onto the table. He looks on in awe as he realises it’s his NHS Quit Smoking app, reminding him he is on day 11 of his quit journey — just enough to help him say no.

The campaign will run across TV, online video, social media, radio, digital audio and out-of-home nationwide.

It will direct to digital tools such as the NHS Quit Smoking app offering smokers a free 28-day programme with practical support, encouragement, and tailored advice to boost success rates.These are significantly higher for those who make it through the first four weeks smoke-free.

Rachel Carr, Director of Communications at DHSC, said:

"Half of smokers say they want to quit so this campaign will take a fresh and bold approach, focusing on the support that’s at hand to help them to do so successfully, via our proven NHS digital tools."

 

Emily Whiteaway, Managing Partner at AMV BBDO, added:

"Quitting is hard. Despondency grows with every failed attempt, and when you try to quit alone, the challenge can feel insurmountable. The Power to Quit Is in Your Hands delivers much-needed tangible support and an injection of optimism. We hope that presenting these supportive tools as a smart, powerful way to turbocharge a quitting attempt will give people the confidence and resources they need to quit for good.”