ExpressVPN's new feel and appear provides a human contact to digital safety
DesignStudio's Sydney arm has redesigned ExpressVPN, a virtual private network service that provides encryption and can mask users' IP addresses. The use of VPNs is becoming more common as a larger part of our lives takes place online, coupled with growing skepticism about the security Big Tech offers (not to mention the desire to access Netflix streams available in other countries) .
ExpressVPN's new branding aims to steer clear of the "fear and negativity category codes" and "redefine digital protection in a more accessible and personal way," according to the studio.
“For the past 12 months we've worked hand in hand with the ExpressVPN team to bring the new branding strategy and visual identity to life. Together we challenge how a privacy and security engineer behaves, looks, feels and sounds, ”says James Gilmore, Creative Director of DesignStudio. "This shift to a more personal and upbeat brand will set ExpressVPN apart, help fuel future strategies, and set them up to be successful both internally and with consumers."
While the new user interface is clean and the logo is sleek, the rest of the new design system is downright friendlier. Light tones, rounded shapes and human-centered illustrations form the core of the new look. The illustrations created by Ping Zhu were introduced to explain high subjects.
The result is a vibrant visual language that feels more in tune with the lifestyle sector than with the serious, often frightening, cues that have been the predominant face of digital security software and products.
While there's an argument that a steely, harsh aesthetic could make such services feel more robust, ExpressVPN's new branding feels like a refreshing tone shift given the way digital is embedded in our lives.
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