Extracting brand alignment from commonality in customer need, exceptional internet security
Expanse came to FINAO with the challenge of creating a brand and website that would connect with all of their consumers - from enterprise SaaS to government and national defense. Although widely different in many respects, the design was focused on the one thing that all customers had in common: a need for exceptional internet security.
Logo
At first glance, the coral dot that completes the ‘X’ in the Expanse logo catches your attention however, greater meaning lies beyond the surface. The dot represents the North Star, an astronomical symbol long used as a navigation tool essential to explorers discovering new places. Hidden in the logomark, however, is the Lambda symbol, a letter from the Greek alphabet which is also used in many programming languages to represent an Anonymous Function (AKA Lambda Expression). Through these two symbols, both hidden and seen, we aimed to honestly represent the full spectrum of the Internet: filled with risks and exposures while still maintaining a great potential for hope.
Brand Guidelines
Beyond the logo, the contrast of dots and lines were the main element carried over from existing brand visuals. These assets inspired the mosaic which consists of different dot and line patterns. Photography is prominently used throughout the brand, and can be anything that shows repetition or movement such as roads, farms, cars or buildings. A grid pattern is used on all assets and when combined with photography and mosaic elements, creates a sense of stability throughout.
Mosaic Pattern
The Expanse mosaic is created from 6 elements representing the product's vast reach, in fulfilling customers unique security needs. We created a flexible pattern that can be altered based on use need while still remaining within the grid system. The Expanse grid + pattern + photography combine to create a cohesive and unique brand.
Website
The grid is incorporated throughout the website to add structure to the pages while also giving a sense of direction by leading the user down the page. For iconography we chose a style that uses the symbology of connected assets to create icons relevant to Expanse’s services and customers. Finally, by capitalizing on the interactivity of the website, we brought the photography to life by using coral illustrations to highlight parts of a photograph when a user hovers over it.
