Trying to crack a tough problem with conventional wisdom usually isn't the best way forward. We experienced this firsthand while convincing smokers to use the Wyoming QuitLine.

The usual strategy for smoking cessation involved showing the harsh realities of tobacco use, hoping to scare people into quitting. But digging a bit deeper, we uncovered an overlooked fact: around half of smokers attempt to quit each year.

So getting people to come to some revelation of the risk and consider quitting wasn't the issue. It’s that quitting was a demoralizing process that made them feel like they had little chance of being successful.

During our conversations with smokers, we consistently heard that they felt judged and talked down to in cessation commercials. The tone was all wrong.

We realized the focus should be on promoting their best chances of success rather than merely trying to convince them to quit. As a result, we positioned the QuitLine as the most effective solution, highlighting the benefits of free patches, nicotine gum, and support. We delivered this message in a funny, quirky, and unforgettable manner.

The outcome was remarkable, with calls to the Wyoming QuitLine increasing more than any QuitLine program in the country.