Tosh Hall: B2B Does Not Mean Bland
Centersquare is unveiling a new positioning and identity developed by global branding agency Jones Knowles Ritchie (JKR). As a leader in secure data center solutions, Centersquare empowers businesses to manage and scale their operations. Designed for both internal teams and external clients, the new brand system is rooted in adaptability. While competitors often emphasize rigid, fortress-like security, Centersquare takes a different approach which informs the company’s new positioning: “Infinite Flexibility. Absolute Certainty.” JKR’s effort started with strategic positioning and extended through to naming, logo, visual identity, and the creation of a new UI system and website. The new company results from a merger of Cyxtera and Evoque earlier this year.
“B2B branding doesn’t have to be bland – yet too often, it falls into that trap. B2B can be dynamic, engaging, magnetic – it can stand for something. At JKR, we’re proving that every category can be distinctive,” said Tosh Hall, Chief Creative Officer at JKR.
The new identity reflects Centersquare’s data-driven ethos. At the core is a nested square logo, created by custom letterer Simon Walker, to symbolize stability within a dynamic structure. A compact primary logo is complemented by a secondary wordmark for versatile application.
Accompanying this is a warm color palette that contrasts with the cold, corporate aesthetic often associated with tech. Centersquare’s custom iconography, based on square grids, emphasizes consistent recognition for its products and services, while also delivering dynamic moments and interactions.
In collaboration with Variable.io, JKR created a custom Data Visualization Tool that takes real, raw data and turns it into dynamic, living, and infinitely unique centerpieces for the logo – each telling its own distinct data story.
Centerspace’s typography, featuring Systemia by Peregrin Studio, blends monospaced digital fonts with smooth curves, offering readability in small formats and distinctiveness in larger headlines. The brand’s tone of voice, “The Seasoned Professional,” conveys confidence and approachability.
