Sector
Local Health Authority
Role
URL
makesmokinghistory.co.uk
Release Date
2021
Challenge
Turning Awareness into Action
NHS Greater Manchester had a bold new brand and a powerful mission: help more people quit smoking by creating an inspiring and practical support hub. The new site needed to do more than inform, it had to engage and empower, bringing together local services, personal stories, and behaviour-change content in one accessible space.
Approach
Content That Connects
Storytelling That Resonates
From the outset, we knew that real stories would play a central role on the site. We made sure these stories didn’t just live in their own dedicated section, they were surfaced contextually throughout the site to inspire at the right moments. For example, on the NRT information page, we featured a personal case study showing how nicotine replacement helped someone quit. We also connected stories to quitting benefits, such as financial savings, pairing them with content like our custom savings calculator.
Layered Content for Different Needs
I worked closely with the client to ensure that every piece of content was supported by the right complementary material. The mental health section, for instance, became a key educational focus. To help explain the relationship between smoking and stress, I proposed using animation to visualise the stress cycle of smoking, an idea that the client embraced and we brought to life with our in-house team. We also extended the brand with custom illustrations to represent different types of vapes and quitting options.
Short, impactful, and easy to grasp: A looping 15-second animation was used to visualise the stress cycle of smoking, designed to maximise impact and hold user attention.
Serving All Boroughs
With the site serving the whole of Greater Manchester, we needed to present borough-specific stop smoking services in a way that felt seamless. I designed an architecture that allowed users to easily find support in their area, while ensuring the information remained consistent and accessible.
Accessibility From the Ground Up
Accessibility wasn’t an afterthought, it was baked in from day one. I ensured all colour contrasts met WCAG AA standards, incorporated alt text and captions where needed, and worked with developers to ensure the site was screen-reader friendly. We also implemented the Recite Me plugin to give users additional tools for navigating and customising their experience.
Extending a Bold,
Impactful Brand
I applied the client’s vibrant new branding to create an engaging, accessible online experience. Working within their bold colour palette and strong typography, I extended the visual identity through custom illustrations and animations.
High-Fidelity Visuals
