Branding
The Drone That Does It ALL
In 2019, Force1 launched the F200SE Shadow Hex, an upgraded version of its predecessor, the F200W Shadow. This feature-rich quadcopter included groundbreaking Wi-Fi and GPS navigational controls like Follow-Me Mode, Flight-Path Mode and Point-of-Interest, a mode that orbits a map point indicated on your smartphone app screen.
The name, “Shadow” encompasses a class of drones that includes the F100 Ghost and F200C Specter, all named after apparitions. Keeping in line with this haunting theme, I proposed adding "Hex" to the name, which served as a double entendre as the shell of the drone featured a vibrant hexagonal pattern. The Shadow’s original orange was retained for easy brand recognition.
Package Design
Make it Sleek
My approach for the package design was to highlight the contrast between the brilliant orange (Pantone 172 C) and smooth black of the drone. Because I didn’t have a production model available before designing the box, I used the manufacturer's 3D model and textured it to meet specifications. I staged and rendered the box graphics to have a hard backlight to articulate the shape of the drone.
The icons were either illustrated by me, or used from previous Force1 designs. I chose the font, Industry, for its weight variety and cut geometric corners, which paired nicely with the overall “hex” theme. Lastly, hexagons were used throughout the design, from framing icons to the small, three-color cluster on the logo.
Along with the package design, I also took great care to create a comprehensive manual that simplified the new complex features with full-color renders and icons for flight instruction, app control, and drone accessories.
E-COMM Marketing
Illustrating Complex Features
The biggest challenge when designing our e-commerce listing for the F200SE Shadow Hex was to distill the technical features into consumable, customer-facing content. Collaborating with my design team, we accomplished this by using evocative illustrations and labels, as well as adding digital motion elements to convey the various navigation features.
All of the images were composited using 3D renders and stock photography.
