Seeing the unseen: Motto’s luminous rebrand for CloudBees finds inspiration in the vision of bees

CloudBees is a DevOps software company that provides tools that help developers streamline the process of creating software from idea to production. Supporting over 10 million developers and 500+ enterprise clients, they specialise in bridging traditional on-premises systems with cloud-native technologies, facilitating enterprise cloud transformation.

Founded in 2010, the company built its reputation on leveraging the open-source Jenkins technology, which was created by its founders. However, as the tech industry evolved, CloudBees recognised the need to move beyond its Jenkins-centric identity. The company’s legacy, while strong, needed to adapt to the changing demands of cloud technologies and hybrid environments.

It was time for CloudBees to redefine their image, so they called on the expertise of NYC-based strategic branding agency Motto® to deliver a rebrand. “We knew a total transformation was needed to match CloudBees’ new direction,” says Co-founder & CEO Sunny Bonnell, “yet we were mindful of the brand’s history, so we made careful decisions about what was too much and what was not enough. They had previously gone through several branding exercises, so trust was a key factor in this project. This wasn’t just a visual refresh; it was a strategic reset to help the company charge towards its vision with more clarity and confidence.”

Following a comprehensive audit and a series of workshops, Motto landed on a set of engaging insights such as – “According to Gartner, only 30% of enterprise workloads have migrated to the cloud, which won’t hit 50% until 2027.” This sparked the development of a brand strategy suited to CloudBees’ unique ability to help the organisation’s ‘Journey to the Cloud.’ The logo, a refined iteration of CloudBees’ existing infinity symbol, was the only element carried over from the previous identity. “Our approach was to maintain brand equity and subtly refine the symbol to correct minor technical challenges and give it a touch more sophistication and modernity,” Bonnell notes.

The typography combines FT Sterling, a clean sans for the wordmark, with Unica77, another sans serif that brings structure and tech-sector credibility to the identity. Interestingly, the wordmark features an intentional break, in the ‘B,’ mirroring the infinity symbol and subtly evoking a bee’s stripes.

With the goal of communicating CloudBees’ unique perspective and bringing it to life, Bonnell explains that the rebrand’s visual direction is rooted in a fascinating fact – bees perceive the world in ultraviolet light, enabling them to make informed decisions. “Just as bees detect pollen through their extraordinary vision, CloudBees enhances visibility and provides developers with tools that help them detect and solve problems others might overlook,” she adds. To echo this, the identity leads with a captivating ultraviolet gradient inspired by bees’ vision, which is woven throughout the brand’s ecosystem. The gradient and hue are paired with a tech-friendly palette of black, white, and blue, while secondary and tertiary palettes allow for bolder moments of expression.

“By embedding this concept into every touchpoint,” Bonnell notes, “we crafted an identity that not only looks striking and sophisticated, but also tells a story – one of seeing possibilities where others see none.”