Humber & North Yorkshire
Services
New brand identity, creative assets
Impact
- Creating a Smokefree Future
- Delivered positive societal change
- Powerful new brand identity – a force for good
Story
Humber and North Yorkshire set out with an ambitious goal: to end smoking by uniting partners across the region under one clear, collective mission. The challenge was to translate that ambition into a campaign that could genuinely connect with communities - many of whom have learned to tune out traditional anti-smoking messaging.
So instead of telling people what to stop, we created a voice that shows them what’s possible. At the heart of the campaign is The Optimist, a grounded, relatable character who understands the realities of smoking and the difficulty of quitting, but believes change is always possible. Not an authority figure, but someone from the community. Someone who listens, encourages, and stands alongside you.
From this mindset came a single, powerful idea: YES.
“YES” reframes quitting smoking as a positive, self-directed choice. It’s open, optimistic, and empowering—an invitation rather than an instruction. A small word with the power to signal readiness, possibility, and change.
The result is a unifying identity that brings partners together while speaking to people in a way that feels real. By replacing fear with optimism, YES builds trust, encourages engagement, and supports people to quit smoking – on their terms, and in their own time.
