A breath of fresh air for smokers everywhere

As a confirmed ex-smoker, I can vouch for the many benefits of giving up the oily rags and stubbing out tobacco for good. More money, better health, extra time to do good stuff and less time standing in the pouring rain outside office blocks are just a few.

I used to be a serious smoker. One of those people whose pockets were permanently crammed with Rizlas and loose filters, purloined Clipper lighters and strands of tobacco, leaving a wake of stale fag smoke behind me wherever I mooched.

Nearly four years ago I quit smoking, hopefully for good. The main motivation to do this thing I’d been thinking of for years, but never quite got round to doing, was the amazing support I received from the fab Prue Yeoman.

The Queen of the quit

She’s good. Very good. In fact, thanks to her in-depth knowledge and comprehensive understanding of the psychology of addiction, she helped make the process less painful, massively controllable and a whole lot more rewarding than I ever thought possible.

So, when Prue decided to take her smoking cessation support to the next level and offer it as a service, I saw my chance to repay her with something from my own skill set; a spot of branding advice and marketing support. Starting with designing the logo for her new venture Happy Quitter UK:

A simple, bold logo that gets the message across immediately. Part of a bright colourway and personality that reinforces positivity, I’m sure you’ll agree.

I also took to the hills to add to HQ’s Facebook video gallery featuring ex-smokers sharing their personal views on quitting. If I sound a little out of breath, its because I had just climbed Kinder Scout in 3-ft high snow. But boy, would I have been gasping more if I was still a smoker:

Giving up doesn’t have to be a drag

Still very much in its infancy, the idea seems to be taking on a momentum of its own. Prue and the Happy Quitter UK crew have been busy staging pop-up events at offices and workplaces, offering support to local quitters and generally spreading the good word in Manchester and beyond about why staying a smoker is a little bit daft, really.

I’m helping out with branding, marketing support and cups of tea.

You could help out by taking a few seconds to follow Happy Quitter UK on Facebook or Twitter and see where this smoke-free journey takes us.

Watch this space for updates.