Abnormal AI: A brand return to the future
Abnormal Security were ready to reclaim their name, rewrite their story, and remind the market exactly who they were, and where they were heading.
We helped their brand identity embody the prowess of their invisible AI technology, creating a feeling people could truly connect with. Moving at startup speed, we made sure this wasn’t just a rebrand. It was a statement.
The situation
Abnormal had a story worth telling. The market wasn’t ready for it, until now.
Launched as Abnormal AI in 2018, they dropped the AI badge early, knowing the cybersecurity world wasn’t buying into AI-first claims back then. Fast-forward to 2024, and AI was everywhere. Table stakes. Abnormal had proven its product, scaled fast, and claimed the title of being the second fastest-growing cyber company in history. From off the Gartner grid to leadership status.
It was time to take their original name back. Not as a branding stunt, but as a statement of category leadership and a nod to where it all started.
The challenge? A brand playing catch-up with business momentum and a leadership team moving at pace.
“Futuristic CyberPunk
AI Technology”
Evan Reiser, Abnormal AI CEO & Co-Founder
The images displayed above are presented solely for the purposes of visual inspiration and creative reference and aren’t copyrighted to Shaped By.
The images displayed above are presented solely for the purposes of visual inspiration and creative reference and aren’t copyrighted to Shaped By.
The images displayed above are presented solely for the purposes of visual inspiration and creative reference and aren’t copyrighted to Shaped By.
The challenge
CEO Evan Reiser set a bold creative direction: a futuristic, cyberpunk AI technology aesthetic. Something maximalist, layered, and dynamic – but credible in a market flooded with sci-fi clichés. The creative tension was leaning too hard into the aesthetic and it becoming a gimmick; or holding back and it disappearing into the noise.
To get this right, Abnormal needed four things:
- A way to visualise an incomprehensible AI solution with a distinctive, flexible visual system
- A brand identity that made it unmistakably AI-first, people-focussed, and ahead of the pack
- A fast, iterative, collaborative way of working that kept pace with shifting priorities and leadership instincts
- A creative partner willing to move quickly, trust gut instinct, and turn bold creative moves into commercially smart outcomes





Our approach
We teamed up with Abnormal’s in-house brand and creative team — a crew deep in the realities of rapid scaling and constant delivery pressure. They knew their brand had to move. Fast.
Together, we turned a complex, AI-first cybersecurity proposition into a bold, human-centred identity built for clarity and cut-through.
We moved in rhythm with an iterative workflow that flexed with the business, with creative decisions made in real-time alongside leadership. The result? A brand designed for scale and swagger, restoring Abnormal AI as a confident category signal, not just background noise.
This wasn’t about chasing trends. It was about confidently reclaiming leadership.
Visualising invisible AI
The breakthrough for visualising the slightly incomprehensible technology came when we applied motion to a seminal dataflow graphic: it brought abstract AI processes to life as a living, shifting system. A visual representation of behavioural pattern detection, without literally visualising data. It was layered, dynamic, and communicated Evan’s vision of a futuristic, cyberpunk AI technology aesthetic.




Blending AI and human craft
Abnormal’s story is built on AI, and Evan was clear that the creative process should reflect that. We used AI tools selectively and deliberately, to extend what was possible.
AI was used in two critical ways:
1: To create concept imagery of futuristic work environments – healthcare, energy, education – that couldn’t be photographed today.








2: As a conceptual tool to inform the art direction of the in-person CISO photoshoot. AI-generated tests shaped decisions on model selection, wardrobe styling, lighting and environment, creating a coherent, future-facing aesthetic that still felt human and immediate.











What we delivered
- A new visual identity and design system for Abnormal AI
- A hero brand film capturing the human cost of cyber threats, produced for SKO
- Brand guidelines and assets for the internal design team
- Futuristic CISO photoshoot in London, where our previous AI exploration directly influenced the art direction, model selection, wardrobe, and dramatic lighting. This enabled us to humanise the narrative with a unique, futuristic aesthetic that broke through the usual cybersecurity visuals
- Motion assets and hero graphics for web and social
- AI-generated end-user environment visuals





The impact
Abnormal AI returned to the market with an identity to match a category leader. They reclaimed their original name, and made sure everyone knew why. The new identity made them unmistakably AI-native, human-focused, and future-obsessed, cutting through a cybersecurity market stuck on safe, familiar moves.
More importantly, it told the story they’d wanted to tell for years. One that made the invisible visible, captured the real sophistication of their AI technology, and did it without leaning on sci-fi clichés or overpromising futures.
Inside the business, the work stuck. The visual system became more than a set of brand assets. It turned into a rallying point for the team and a foundation for what comes next.
It worked because it was authentic. Because bold, commercially sharp creative can move fast, stay honest, and land harder when it reflects the actual substance of a company.
If your story matters, tell it properly. And tell it in a way that only you can.
Partnering with Shaped By was one of the most transformative decisions we made in reimagining our brand. What made this partnership exceptional was the fusion of deep strategic insight with hands-on creative craftsmanship. They pushed us creatively, partnered with us to explore the frontiers of AI-powered storytelling, and rolled up their sleeves to work hand-in-hand with our team through inevitable constraints and challenges.
At every step, they met us with high-velocity execution and uncompromising quality. Moreover, they are a sheer delight to work with. We’re already looking ahead to what’s next—because with a partner like Shaped By, you’re always building something extraordinary.
Maria McLaughlin, Head of Global Brand Creative, Abnormal AI

















































