eSentire

I worked with eSentire over the course of 2 years. I started by redefining their brand’s visual identity to match the CMO’s and CPO’s strategic shift from product feature-based selling to customer-value-based selling. Together, with eSentire’s small in-house creative team, we modernized the brand while respecting the company’s history. I directed the team on logo redesign, color palette revisions, and brand guidelines. I also created the presentations to secure executive sign-off on the proposed new direction within 2 months of the project start. 

Next, we redesigned and rebuilt the entire website from the ground up, including migrating the backend and setting up a new, user-friendly CMS. In partnership with a team of 4 others (in-house and external), we delivered this within 3 months, enabling eSentire to unveil its rebrand at the most important conference of the year - RSA 2019. For the initial website overhaul, we elevated the brand impression, reducing the number of (unnecessary) pages, streamlined the website copy, and improved UI/UX, resulting in increased organic traffic. 

For the next year and a half, I continued to partner on website improvements to enhance SEO and increase lead generation while maintaining brand standards. Finally, I am very proud to say that I was able to mentor the in-house designer and cultivate his talent to the point where he was promoted to Creative Director at eSentire.

Download eSentire’s brand guidelines here.

eSentire’s New Brand

eSentire’s original colors were primarily black and red. Black is a very hard, strong color, and the red it was paired with comes off as harsh and alarming. At the time, this was a color palette used by many of eSentire’s competitors, making it difficult for eSentire to stand out. Other  same competitors instead chose comical, cheesy creative. Neither of these branding directions acknowledges that cybersecurity is a serious issue without relying on fear tactics. With the product and marketing teams, we identified that eSentire brand promise would focus on empowering clients to feel safe and secure. Our color choices then were clear: we needed colors that convey trust and security, while honoring eSentire’s history (nearly 20 years). 

We selected a dark navy blue as it is a strong color, like black, but as not harsh, that has an in-buit societal association. 

We paired it with a new, brighter red that is more vigilant than the original, while remaining distinct from other competitors. Coupled with navy, it transforms from alarming to dependable. The brand now communicates that eSentire is trustworthy of protecting you from hackers and unknown threats without FUD (industry lingo for relying on Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt to scare you into a decision).

Yet, these two colors alone can make for an overwhelming dark and somber palette. We introduced white and grey as refreshing and gentle balances to the navy. 

The secondary palette was brought in to add dimension and levity. The use of gradients here is very purposeful and calculated. Too much and you tip away from professional into silly and sophomoric. Too little and it’s just confusing - the opposite of secure.