The Challenge
Cancer research saves lives, but it often feels distant, clinical, and impersonal to the public. Cancer Research Giving Day (CRGD) is a one-day digital campaign designed to mobilize support for research, making it crucial to create an immediate and compelling connection with audiences. In addition to fundraising, CRGD includes a content creation component to drive engagement throughout the day, ensuring real-time interaction and storytelling. The goal of CRGD 2025 was to bridge the gap between scientific breakthroughs and personal stories—bringing the researchers' personal motivations to the forefront and showing why research isn’t just their work, it’s their mission.
Research saves lives, but behind every breakthrough is a person—someone driven by their own story, their own ‘why.’
My role
I led the art direction and creative execution for the CRGD 2025 campaign, ensuring the visuals and messaging were emotionally compelling, human-first, and visually impactful
Concept Development
Developed the ‘It’s Personal’ creative direction, focusing on the people behind the science.
Visual Strategy & Execution
Balanced scientific credibility with warmth and emotion.
Photography Oversight
Worked with Damien Plemming to capture intimate, hands-on lab moments.
Design Execution
Created key visuals across website, social media and email marketing.
Social Storytelling
Designed carousel posts that broke down researchers’ work into engaging, shareable content.
Creative
direction
Tone & Look
A balance of scientific precision and personal warmth.
Researchers depicted in their natural environment, surrounded by meaningful personal items.
Photography Approach
Close-ups of hands-on lab work and researchers' personal notes to reinforce connection.
Portraits of researchers with intimate lighting and natural tones.
Typography & Branding
The CRGD logo was refined, bringing the heart motif into a more prominent position.
A mix of clean, technical fonts with softer, human-centric text treatments.
The creative process
Moodboards & Style Frames – Shaping the emotional and visual tone.
Photography Planning – Directing the shoot to balance authenticity with scientific credibility.
Typography & Design Choices – Refining the CRGD branding and text hierarchy.
Multi-Channel Execution – Ensuring cohesive visuals across website, digital ads, email campaigns, and social media.
Challenges &
Adaptations
Stakeholder Shift
The original vision focused on personal researcher storytelling, but stakeholders prioritized the ‘Your Donation Doubled’ message.
What Worked
Despite the shift, the campaign retained elements of emotional storytelling in the photography and social execution.
Impact &
Recognition
Exceeded fundraising goal, raised $593K, surpassing the $500K target.
Awarded ‘Fundraiser of the Month’ by Funraisin.
High engagement on storytelling carousel posts, proving the effectiveness of human-driven narratives in research fundraising.