Oberlo

Background

From within the Shopify family, Oberlo was an e-commerce start-up offering dropshipping. They had an ambitious vision to evolve the business into an all-encompassing platform for entrepreneurship including courses, tutorials, business tools and more.

The challenge was to position Oberlo as an exciting lifestyle option for anyone itching to start their own thing.

Immersion

It was clear from our immersion into the world of dropshipping that we needed to move away from get-rich-quick schemes. Instead, we wanted to tap into a unique space: the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. Failure needed reframing, and community needed celebrating as the powerful tool it has become. It was also time for Oberlo to stand side-by-side with Shopify as an exciting, independent brand in its own right.

Brand strategy

Instead of your typical strategic proposition, we created a motivational 4-step ethos: Start something. Be relentless. Stay Real. Raise the Bar. It never stops looping – because which entrepreneur is ever finished or satisfied? This mantra not only encourages hard work but inspires every company decision and keeps everyone hungry for a better industry.

Brand expression

Visually and verbally, we created an original language full of character that’s based on the DIY attitude of entrepreneurs. Instead of projecting a picture-perfect world of business, Oberlo reflects the true hustle: sweat, real talk, stuff that’s under construction. Alongside the grit, we also created a bespoke holographic texture, signifying a sense of reward – and encouraging users to raise the bar across everything they do.

Alongside our bold type, tone of voice and colour palette, we commissioned illustrators Guy Field and Appear Offline to add another dimension. Scrappy, rebellious, and irreverent, their illustrations subvert traditional business tropes and give everything a ‘work in progress’ feel.

“DesignStudio worked with us to draw out the truths and values that would form the foundations of the Oberlo brand. The resulting brand strategy was put into action internally long before the distinctive visual identity was complete. With the world changing around us as the pandemic developed, the brand behaviours gave us the confidence to adapt our approach, stay real with our audience, and be relentless in our pursuit of this reimagined Oberlo.”

Venetia Anderson
Senior Brand Strategist, Oberlo