Community-Driven Insights and Campaigns for Smoking Cessation
Community-led research shaped personalised campaigns and service improvements, helping Islington and Camden tackle smoking inequalities among priority groups.
More +Smoking rates in Leicester remain highest in disadvantaged communities. We partnered with Leicester City Council to uncover the real reasons people struggle to quit, and to design a campaign that makes support feel relevant, accessible and worth engaging with.
The mission
Understanding barriers to smoking cessation
Leicester City Council wanted to better reach communities where smoking rates remain high, particularly among routine and manual workers, residents in social housing, and those experiencing poor mental health. Our role was to uncover the lived realities behind smoking behaviours, the routines, pressures and perceptions that keep people smoking, and turn these into a strategy that could genuinely shift behaviour, not just raise awareness.
The research
Listening to real experiences
We combined surveys, focus groups and interviews to build a full picture of smoking behaviours across Leicester. We found that smoking is more than a habit, it’s part of daily routines and a key way people cope with stress. While many residents want to quit, low confidence, limited awareness of support (just 32%), and inconsistent experiences with services hold them back. This pointed to a clear need for more visible, personalised and ongoing support that fits into everyday life.
The campaign
Designing support that actually works
Insights were translated into a behaviourally informed campaign strategy designed to meet people where they are. This included reshaping messaging to feel more supportive and less judgemental, identifying trusted channels like GPs and community spaces, and recommending more flexible, ongoing support beyond short-term programmes. We also highlighted the importance of positive reinforcement, celebrating small wins, rather than relying on fear-based messaging that many had become desensitised to.
The impact
The campaign is now being delivered across Leicester, with behaviourally informed messaging rolled out through community settings, local channels and healthcare touchpoints such as GP services. It focuses on increasing visibility of the Live Well Leicester service and embedding support in places people already trust and access. By shifting towards more supportive, accessible and ongoing engagement, the campaign is helping to build awareness and strengthen connections with communities less likely to engage with traditional stop smoking services.
82
residents engaged in research
70%
say smoking is routine-driven
Only 32%
aware of local support
Up to 30%
increase in quit attempts following campaign activity
