ITV today announces that Kwik Fit, with VCCP, has been named the winner of the 2026 ITV Head First Award winning £1 million in ITV commercial airtime.

The award recognises the advertising campaign that best shines a spotlight on mental wellbeing and inspires action through the power of TV advertising.

Kwik Fit’s winning entry inspires the nation to have a KwikChat at Kwik Fit - promoting the behaviour of giving someone a call while waiting for a service to be complete to support mental wellbeing and turning wait times into moments of mental maintenance. With nearly  one million MOTs carried out at Kwik Fit every year, that's one million chances to support mental health, simply by starting a conversation.

Kwik Fit beat a shortlist of five who presented their ideas with an in-person pitch to a prestigious panel of judges, including Dr Sarah Hughes, Chief Executive of Mind, Gemma Charles of Campaign, Laura Rogers, Executive Creative Director at AMV BBDO and Lindsey Clay, Chief Executive of Thinkbox.

Kate Waters, Director of Client Strategy and Commercial Marketing at ITV, said: "Kwik Fit were worthy winners in a highly competitive field of entries. Their 'KwikChat’ idea is a brilliant example of leveraging the brand’s identity to create a relatable and actionable way to create real social impact through the power of TV advertising. It perfectly embodies the spirit of the Head First Award and I can’t wait to see it on screen."

Tom Gentle, Head of Retail Marketing at Kwik Fit said: “We're delighted to have won ITV's Head First competition and be able to build upon the amazing work that ITV has already done with its Britain Get Talking Initiative.

We appreciate our expertise is in vehicle health as opposed to mental wellbeing. However, as well as helping people to look after their cars, we want to encourage them to do something that is proven to positively impact mental health, particularly when it is as simple as giving someone they care about a quick call. 

“We hope that by associating car maintenance with mental health we can show how drivers can take advantage of often unclaimed, unused time in the service experience - the wait. Whether they are in our centre reception, going for a coffee, or simply having a stroll round the local area, while we look after their tyre change or MOT, our customers have a chance to look out for their family and friends.

“With this campaign we have a real chance to drive a change in behaviour for the better. And with more MOTs per year than anyone else, there's a lot of people we can positively impact and help drive away happy, every time."

Dr Sarah Hughes, Chief Executive, Mind said: “I was genuinely impressed by Kwik Fit’s winning submission. It struck at the heart of what Head First is all about — human connection, openness, and the importance of looking after our mental wellbeing. It was thoughtful, creative and engaging, with warmth and humour used brilliantly to bring people in. Following the powerful work of the last winner, WWF, it’s wonderful to see the competition continue to spark campaigns that feel both relevant and needed at a time when mental wellbeing has never mattered more.”

The Head First Award reflects ITV’s wider social purpose commitment to fostering a world in which we all do more to look after our mental wellbeing. The 2026 competition, being run for the second time, follows the massive success of the inaugural winner, WWF, who used their £1 million airtime prize to launch a powerful campaign encouraging people to get their "daily dose of nature" to support their mental health.