In 2020, it was time to change the tone and look at Cyberscout. They needed to stand out in a tightening crowd of competitors. Competitors tended toward blue tones, and traditional 'safe' looks, driven home with a 'scaring is caring' approach to marketing.
There was enough discomfort in the world, so the goal was to empower and reassure people. Life shouldn't grind to a halt when an identity theft or cyber security event inevitably strikes. Cyberscout is there to help them stay ahead of the curve through guidance, advice, and state-of-the-art tools and services.
Our goal was to differentiate through a more upscale and hip side approach, paired with a more human connection and clear voice. Cyberscout exists to ensure people's busy, wonderful lives aren't interrupted and to be a safety net in challenging times—not to complicate it. And, while, Cyberscout has a Business-to-Business focus, it is good to remember that people are still people. They want to keep moving forward.
A logo is the vanguard and often first touchpoint for many people in discovering a brand. It must convey a company's message and identity as succinctly as possible.
Cyberscout had rebranded several times over the years, including name changes. As the company was maturing into an international enterprise, it needed to show its presence and class, across multiple industries and cultures.
We were sensitive to the history of so many changes, yet still wanted a fresh look. Color palettes remained familiar to existing clients. We simplified elements, and incorporated a radar into the name, thus removing distraction and maintaining legibility. The thin, cleaner lines convey a new sense of elegance, clout, reliability and clarity. There's less need to shout when you are a leader in your field.
In a world where so many of us are remote, it is important to have a clear and well-organized website. The design was a visual departure from what one might expect of a company that specializes in cyber security and identity theft protection. The site had go beyond being attractive and mobile-optimized. It had to give clear information and a clear path to begin the sales process. Despite this primary goal, much of Cyberscout's website traffic has been from end-users. It was essential to put our best foot forward and convey an innovative business culture. A B2B marketing effort should never discount or ignore the end user.
A rebrand touches every corner of a business. Everything from business cards to convention booth materials needs to be cohesive. I worked on much of the material myself, and coordinated with a team of contract writers and designers to ensure we met our deadline of rebranding, from design approval to completed redesign in under three months.
Everything matters in a redesign, even the choice of photo imagery. I wanted to ensure Cyberscout's photography conveyed the same energy and motion of the design. To this end, I put together a style guide standard of using images where people were in motion, often at interesting angles. Whether stock, or custom photography, the intent was to always show people in real situations with an dynamism that would stand out among competition. Genuine, simple, and inviting.
One important aspect to creating a complete design system is making sure the iconography across all systems works in concert with branding efforts. I created a set of images for top-level sales verticals, and an icon set to be used everywhere--from sales materials to the SaaS product systems. It's a detail that, when done properly, isn't noticed and isn't a distraction. It just works.
A redesigned brand doesn't wow on it's own. It requires promotion. We produced videos and hit up social media to let everyone know the good news!