Onro: What goes around, comes around

The pre loved market its surging, and for a whole host of reasons. A 2021 report from GlobalData shows that the resale market is growing 11 times faster than traditional retail. And  Ebay’s annual revenue was up by 217.30% in 2021.

Some people are adopting pre-loved to make money or bag bargains; some are decluttering; others revel in being eclectic. These personal reasons are also part of a burgeoning social cause: an appreciation of the need for a more circular economy in which we are empowered to re-use, repair and repurpose products.

So with such growth in sustainable consumerism, it was a good time to launch a new ‘preloved’ brand built on a platform that enables the seamless purchase and delivery of second hand goods.

Endeavour International approached Chromatic through technology firm Monstar Labs with a clear vision. They wanted to make it extremely easy and seamless for both sellers and buyers to exchange goods and to embrace a sustainable lifestyle.  But whilst making full use of embedded carbon is part of the brand's purpose, we recognised that the common good is not the fundamental motivation for users. 

Buyers and sellers are energised by the opportunity to pass on and pick up cherished and cherishable gear at a fair price, and with zero hassle. The uncertainty of haggling and the chore of ‘queuing at the post office’ are barriers for many potential users. Endeavour's platform ensures pricing is always fair, because it is determined by benchmarked data, and offers door-to-door delivery.

These factors drove the development of the brand promise 'The exchange you'll love'. This is a marketplace which goes beyond the transactional: a brand which like-minded people can relate to and build relationships upon.

Short, distinctive, memorable and available names are very difficult to create and even more challenging to secure. So after rigorous legal checks, we were delighted to register Onro for a global Trademark. Reclaimed from the retail phrase 'on rotation’, the repeated first and last letters of the Onro name reference the idea of the circular economy and sound good when said aloud.

Using the idea of rotation as a springboard for the visual and sonic language, we created an emblematic brand mark and visual and sonic world using kaleidoscopes, animations and loops. Even the brand promise is typeset in a circle so that it reads two ways. And by combining these elements with the single-minded use of warm yellow and a bespoke typeface, we have given Onro a style of engaging that its wholly distinctive, authentic and cohesive.

Launching a brand across platforms is a formidable challenge, so we partnered with business in our extended Chromatic & network.

First, we worked shoulder-to-shoulder with digital partners Monstar Labs to create a platform which delivers the brand promise. We advised on how to leverage the network effect of established online communities to launch the brand.

Then, we brought in the media planning agency Sondr, to work out best location for launch, the TV and media buying and the social media campaign.

And finally, we worked closely with composer Angus McLeod to create a bespoke piece of music that references the idea of rotation through loops and repeats, staying with the listener long after hearing.

As a business we try to do our bit to alleviate the climate emergency and challenge short-termism. We recognise that actions have consequences and ‘what goes around, comes around’.  By supporting Onro we're supporting a business which is helping to change behaviours for the better - saving carbon by sharing the love.