Behind the Ribbon: a Creative Journey Through “We’re Here for Them"

By Laura Horn

When we set out to develop the creative for We’re Here for Them, we knew we weren’t starting from scratch — we were building on a foundation we had started the year before. Last year’s campaign was, in many ways, a beta test: a bold first step toward a more emotionally connective, storytelling-driven approach to our work. It opened the door to a new way of creating — and it also revealed where we could go deeper. 

Our initial goal was simple but deeply meaningful: to visually represent what it feels like when families facing the unimaginable are met with compassion, strength and unwavering support. At St. Jude Children's Research Hospital ®, we know that no one faces this alone. The red ribbon came to life to represent that truth — a symbol of presence, of connection, of community. It weaves through the lives of our patients and families, wrapping around the hardest moments and gently holding them with care.

One of the biggest evolutions came in the red ribbon, our central visual element. Last year, the ribbon was thin and almost threadlike. It weaved in and out of imagery, sometimes feeling tangled, occasionally drifting away from the emotional center of the moment. It was a start — but it left room to grow.

This year, we leaned into that opportunity.

We gave the ribbon a bolder presence — one that feels more intentional, more grounded and more symbolic of the steady, compassionate presence St. Jude provides to every family. Rather than floating loosely or competing with the subject, the ribbon now flows behind them. It brings patients and their families into the foreground, framing the image while honoring who the true heroes are. The ribbon doesn’t overpower — it supports. It gently wraps around each moment, a visual reminder that St. Jude is there. Always.

As the ribbon evolved, so did the campaign itself. Every visual, every composition was crafted with care. Our photography captures warm, candid interactions between patients, families, and staff — real people, real connection. We didn’t just want to show what care looks like. We wanted to make people feel what it’s like to be part of a community that never lets go.

As the creative director for We’re Here for Them, I helped guide the evolution of the ribbon and the visual language around it—working closely with our team to ensure every choice, from its shape to its placement, reflected the care, presence, and humanity at the heart of St. Jude. It was important to me that the ribbon never overshadowed our patients and families but instead elevated their stories — bringing them into the foreground where they belong.

At the heart of We’re Here for Them, is a simple truth: Family isn’t always who you’re born to — it’s who shows up when it matters most. That’s what the ribbon represents. That’s what this campaign is built on. And that’s what we show up to create every day at ALSAC and St. Jude.

We’re Here for Them. In every frame. In every story. In every moment that matters.