Liverpool’s LA Productions has produced its first television commercial, working alongside Influential.
The quit smoking campaign is for Smoking Ends Here, a regional programme, led by Champs Public Health Collaborative and NHS Cheshire and Merseyside.
Stop For Good has been inspired by a real-life story and shaped by audience insight. Its intention is to encourage smokers to keep trying to quit, no matter how many times they have tried before.
LA Productions, best known for dramas like Broken, Care and Unforgivable, hasn’t relied on shock tactics, but instead follows a young boy reflecting on his mother’s repeated attempts to quit, throughout his childhood.
READ MORE – Liverpool’s creative economy accelerates with record investment and bold new strategy
As he clutches a single rose while a hearse passes by, viewers are led to believe she has died from smoking-related illness before the story takes an unexpected turn.
“This was a unique project for us. While we’re known for drama and factual television, the opportunity to apply that same style of authentic storytelling to an important public health campaign was incredibly rewarding,” explained Colin McKeown founder of LA Productions.
“Working alongside Influential, we wanted to create something that felt cinematic, emotionally honest and memorable. The result is a piece of work we’re incredibly proud of, and we’re excited for audiences to see the wider trilogy unfold over the course of the campaign.”
The film was inspired by the real-life experience of Julie Connor, 36, from Kirkby, whose decision to quit smoking followed a health scare and a conversation with her eight-year-old son, Curtis, who questioned why she was still smoking.
“From the outset, this campaign was driven by insight rather than assumptions. The insight told us that family is the biggest motivation for quitting, so we wanted to create something that reflected that emotional reality,” said Viv Griffiths, Creative Director at Influential.
“Julie and Curtis’ story gave us a genuine, authentic narrative that audiences could connect with. We also know quitting smoking isn’t straightforward and often takes multiple attempts. Rather than judging people, this campaign is about giving them hope, showing that every attempt matters because, ultimately, you can change your ending. This is just the first of three films we’re bringing to screen together, each inspired by real experiences and designed to connect with audiences in a different way.”
This is the first in a trilogy of films developed for the campaign.
