Four Hundred Feet
Four Hundred Feet helps organizations design and implement drone programs to address the most pressing needs in the global health, environmental, and humanitarian sectors.
SCOPE
Branding Strategy
Logo Design
Visual Identity
Copywriting
Brand Guide
Company Deck
Digital Templates
Website
PROJECT
Brand Identity
YEAR
2022
Video Edited by Akash Chotai
Four Hundred Feet believes that drones and spatial data have the power to transform healthcare delivery, improve emergency preparedness and response, fight climate change, and reduce food security issues around the world.
Mammmal was invited by the company’s founder, Kat James, to develop a brand identity that would differentiate Four Hundred Feet from the impersonal, conservative visual language dominating the drone industry. Countering the status quo meant establishing an altogether new aesthetic standard — one which could embolden and inspire people to take action on the planet’s most pressing issues.
Our identity found its footing in the Explorer archetype, which begs of us the question: “What are you going to do with the one life you have to live?”
To help us bring the Explorer archetype to life, we looked to the archival, nostalgic quality of field journals and vintage USGS documents for inspiration. Custom topographic maps, footpaths, coordinates, and modular grid overlays lend greater depth and dimension to the brand concept.
During our Discovery research, it became quickly apparent that most competitors and peers rely on sky-colored palettes and prescriptive logos with a strong focus on drone and bird imagery. We opted for a more nuanced approach to the brand symbol, exploring conceptual, runic shapes that would establish a uniquely recognizable presence in the drones for good space. Our final selection illustrates an abstract take on a landscape viewed from an aerial perspective.
We paired our abstract icon with an ultra-impactful word mark, styled in a condensed sans serif appropriate for the long company name. In use, the word mark commands attention as both a boundary-setting element and a complement to the modular grid system.
As part of our identity extension for Four Hundred Feet, we focused on meeting the company’s key audiences in the digital spaces where they’d be most likely to spend their time. Our deliverables included a flexible newsletter template, social media templates for LinkedIn and Instagram, and an editable services deck that can be used in cold outreach to innovation officers at NGOs and social good organizations.
Finally, we documented all of our findings in a thorough set of custom brand guidelines designed to embody the brand’s adventurous and rugged spirit.
Kind Words —
“The team at Studio Mammmal spent time listening and working to deeply understand the goals of the business. They helped me craft a brand identity that truly captures and embodies the essence of my company. Plus, they are an absolute joy to work with.”
- Kat James
Founder
