Cisco has become one of the largest cybersecurity companies in the world
Over the past 5-10 years, Cisco has expanded its security portfolio through many acquisitions and developed new platforms, products, and offerings to become a serious contender in the cybersecurity space. As a Web & Graphic Designer on the Cisco Secure Brand & Design Strategy team, I helped define how this story was told.
Role
Web/Graphic Designer
Year
January 2022 – April 2024
The goal
Create a flexible, cohesive visual identity that honored the broader Cisco brand while giving newly acquired products space to maintain their voice. From product campaigns and eBooks to global events and launch moments, I designed across a wide range of digital and print touchpoints.
Evolving a brand & the Duo collage style
Case study 1
When Cisco acquired Duo in 2018, the brand came with its own visual identity built around black-and-white cut-out photography, colorful shapes, and collage compositions that told visual stories. Since Duo was a beloved brand, the team initially adopted this aesthetic for the entirety of the Cisco Security product portfolio.
Over time, it was my team’s task to gradually evolve the brand to seamlessly bring Duo’s look closer to the core Cisco brand. My work directly supported that transition through social graphics, blog imagery, ads, and more, where I pushed the concept along with each design.
Duo style graphics before & after
Secure the Enterprise global campaign design
Case study 2
As Cisco doubled down on cybersecurity, I led design execution for more than 20 international events per year, bringing campaigns to life through immersive booth environments, large-scale signage, branded handouts, apparel, and more.
In 2023, we unveiled the “Secure the Enterprise” campaign at the RSA Conference, one of the industry's largest global events. The concept visualized Cisco's protection using glowing blue coils wrapping users, devices, and applications in a sense of digital security.
I helped evolve this concept across international touchpoints, ensuring visual consistency while adapting to regional needs and formats, bringing Cisco’s cybersecurity vision to the global stage.
Knowing your audience: Black Hat 2022
Case study 3:
For the 2022 Black Hat conference, I helped lead a bold strategic departure from Cisco’s standard brand style to better resonate with the event’s hacker-heavy audience. To align with the gritty, underground vibe of Black Hat, I used darker color palettes, layered textures, and abstract patterns, creating an aesthetic that felt more authentic and less polished. I also curated stock imagery that spoke directly to this demographic while maintaining Cisco Secure’s tone of trust, consistency, and innovation.
This was a strategic decision that helped Cisco show up credibly and confidently in a new way.
Launching Cisco XDR
Case study 4:
In 2023, Cisco launched XDR (Extended Detection and Response), a major new product in its security portfolio. I contributed to the rollout by designing launch materials including web graphics, social assets, guides, and other promotional collateral.
The ebook I designed in the Turtl platform saw 27,000+ content views in its first month and drove more than 10,000 leads alone, making it one of the most successful product launches during my time with the team.
Driving results through everyday design
Case study 5:
Beyond major campaigns and event activations, I handled a wide range of design needs that kept Cisco Secure’s marketing engine running every day. This included assets for:
Web & Digital: Landing page graphics, promotional banners, and web components for product pages.
Social Media: Custom static and animated visuals for campaign launches, thought leadership posts, and organic engagement.
Event Collateral: Badges, session signage, wayfinding, and on-site experience elements.
Swag & Apparel: Branded merchandise and apparel for giveaways and internal events.
GUI Design: Interface elements and conceptual designs for product demos.
Print & Sales Collateral: One-pagers, brochures, and visual aids for sales and partner enablement.
Key learnings
Working on Cisco Secure’s brand during a time of rapid growth taught me invaluable lessons about designing for scale and navigating complexity. Key takeaways include:
Design as a Unifier: A consistent visual system is critical when integrating multiple acquisitions under one brand umbrella.
Flexibility Within a System: Guardrails matter, but so does creative adaptability for unique audiences and campaign goals.
Audience-First Thinking: From RSA’s enterprise tone to Black Hat’s hacker culture, success depends on aligning design with audience expectations while maintaining brand integrity.
Execution at Scale: Designing for 20+ global events per year requires the ability to pivot quickly and understand how systems work together in 3d spaces.
Storytelling Through Design: Whether for product launches or event campaigns, the best design work doesn’t just look good… it tells the story of a cohesive brand.
