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Design Was Key When Building This Revolutionary Bioscience Company
Ben Lamm Ben Lamm
CEO of Colossal Biosciences, Ben Lamm, is focused on is finding a new way, beyond the tried and true strategies of conservation, to stop the extinction of up to fifty percent of all animal species by 2050 — a figure released by the IUCN that could have damaging long term impacts for humanity. Lamm and his team have most famously brought back the mythical direwolf from extinction and created a woolly mouse, but not without a slew of controversy.
'Listen, if everyone liked what we are doing then I would think that we weren't trying hard enough to deliver the breakthrough technology the planet needs,' Lamm said. 'I'm not everyone's flavor, but I don't have to be. The problem is the focus, not making everyone happy,'
A board member of the famed Explorer's Club, Lamm is known for his wild ideas which are primarily focused on addressing planetary dangers, bringing what was once considered fringe science to the forefront.
'Everything was fringe science at one point. Microwave ovens; electric cars; the internet,' he explained. 'We don't need to be afraid of fringe ideas. What we should be afraid of is when we stop entertaining fringe ideas and instead double down on only those technologies and solutions that have only worked in the past that we know don't scale or will eventually fail,'
And while Lamm revolutionized the world of science and nature while building up his business to become the success it is today, design has been fundamental in each step of the way.
'Design was fundamental to creating Colossal. We knew that if we were successful in our mission, that Colossal had the chance of inspiring the next generation of scientists and conservationists, he explained. 'We really wanted a brand that was approachable to all, fun, educational and full of energy. We settled on this idea that we wanted to build a brand that was old school MTV-meets-Harvard. Since we are creating and evolving life, we wanted that energy to flow through the creative and even colors and copy we chose,'
Colossal Biosciences
When developing Colossal's digital presence, Lamm and the design team, which consists of an internal creative team and partner agencies, wanted to make something that tied back to CRISPR and genome engineering.
'That is where the Colossal "C" came from. We then really focused on the color palette and messaging to create the 'science streetwear' vibe that the brand evokes,' Lamm said. 'This had to flow through to everything from copy to apparel to web to social and all the content we create,'
According to Lamm, part of the job of anyone who wants to educate younger generations on hard science or systems involves distilling the information into core concepts and find a way to present those concepts in a digestible fashion.
'We are now in the attention economy and science has to compete with the latest celebrity gossip, fashion trend or meme,' he explained. 'We need to create content in a way that excites the next generation about science and gives them hope for the future,'
Ben Lamm
And the company's eye-catching design and inspiring content is working, as hundreds of young people have written to Colossal to express their admiration for the company.
'We get letters from kids inspired by our work — our science, conservation efforts, and commitment to bettering the planet,' explained Dr. Beth Shapiro, Chief Science Officer at Colossal. "I worry about them losing hope when they see how women in science are often treated.' MORE FROM FORBES Forbes This Female Scientist Brought The Dire Wolf Back From Extinction By Emma Kershaw Forbes The Science Of De-Extinction Is Providing Hope For Nature's Future By Emma Kershaw Forbes Billionaire Eugene Shvidler Revealed As The Artist Behind ES23 By Emma Kershaw
