ExpressVPN, the virtual private network service founded in 2009, underwent a complete visual identity overhaul in January 2021. The rebrand, developed in partnership with the Sydney arm of branding agency DesignStudio, introduced a new logo, an expanded color palette, a new illustration style, and updates across the company’s website and apps.[1]
Design and History
ExpressVPN launched its service in 2009. In January 2021, the company announced a new era for the brand, introducing a redesigned logo alongside new features and a new VPN protocol called Lightway.[2] The company described the refresh as a “design overhaul on a scale we’ve never seen before at ExpressVPN,” created in partnership with DesignStudio.[1]
DesignStudio Sydney developed the new global brand for ExpressVPN, with a newly developed icon and wordmark crafted to be impactful across small digital applications such as app icons and affiliate sites.[3] The rebrand aimed to make ExpressVPN “more accessible and personable” in a sector “primarily filled with negative, fear-inducing language.”[4]
The new logo features a lowercase “e” rendered in what the company called its new “signature red.”[5] According to the company’s official announcement, the new identity’s fluid lines were meant to “convey speed and motion, reflecting our constant drive to deliver more.”[5] The new design was intended to give a sense of motion, with speed as the clear message.[2]
Meaning and Symbolism
DesignStudio developed a strategic mantra for the rebrand centered around “Shift Control,” capturing ExpressVPN’s belief in empowering users to take back control of their online experience.[4] The resulting visual language was described as “energetic, friendly and innately positive.”[4]
The rebrand deliberately steered clear of “category codes of fear and negativity” common in digital security marketing, instead reimagining digital protection in a more accessible way.[6] DesignStudio built a system of six key gestures, including swipe, drag, pinch, push, rotate and shake, each expressed through vibrant geometric gradients.[4]
Typography and Design
The new ExpressVPN wordmark uses a serif typeface. According to the company, the choice of a serif typeface “speaks to that aspect of established trust and authority,” paired with a “modernized forward-motion” treatment.[1] The logo was designed to remain instantly recognizable across applications, from a tiny menu bar icon to large-scale signage.[1]
Beyond the red and white palette, ExpressVPN expanded its color system with additional vibrant tones, including peach, purple and neon green, used alongside new icons and illustrations.[7] The broader design system incorporated illustrations by artist Ping Zhu, adding a human layer to the identity.[4]
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