Making second-hand a first choice.
We worked with 3cat to develop a brand that could challenge perceptions of second-hand devices, bringing together strategic positioning, a new visual identity and a friendly, recognisable personality.
The work connected the brand’s buying, selling and repair services through a consistent story, then translated that identity into marketing applications, retail design guidance and website UI.
The priority.
3cat wanted to make buying, selling and repairing used devices feel like a confident choice.
The brand needed to address customer concerns about quality, authenticity and value, while communicating the benefits of extending a device’s life.
The opportunity was to create an identity that combined reassurance with personality—one that could stand out across stores and digital channels while making the service feel accessible.
Our approach.
We began with the customer barriers behind the brief, using research and discussions with the 3cat team to shape the positioning, audience personas and brand narratives.
Quality, savings and sustainability formed the core of the story, connecting the practical reasons to choose second-hand with the wider value of keeping devices in use.
We translated that strategy into a visual and verbal identity, then developed guidance for applying it consistently across customer touchpoints.
The work.
Defining a clear reason to choose 3cat.
We developed the brand story, purpose, positioning and messaging framework around the ambition to make second-hand devices a first choice.
Audience personas connected different motivations—from an affordable upgrade to releasing value from an old phone—with relevant messages. Service narratives brought buying, trading in and repairs together under one brand proposition.
Creating a distinctive, approachable identity.
We developed the logo and visual identity, combining a cat-inspired icon and rounded typography with a distinctive chartreuse-led colour palette.
The identity expressed a friendly, simple and reliable personality. Supporting graphics, iconography and imagery guidance gave the brand a consistent visual language across different formats.
Giving the brand a personality of its own.
We created the 3cat squad—a family of characters with educational, customer-support and promotional roles—alongside expressive cat emojis.
A friendly, playful and helpful tone of voice complemented the visual system. Together, these elements gave the team ways to explain services, answer questions and communicate offers without making technology feel intimidating.
Making the identity practical to use.
We brought the strategy and identity together in comprehensive brand guidelines, supported by templates and application examples.
The work covered digital marketing, presentations and corporate materials, alongside retail environment concepts and guidance for physical brand applications. This gave the team a shared reference for carrying the identity from screen to store.
Bringing the brand into the website UI.
We extended the identity into a digital design system and responsive designs for key website screens.
The UI work supported product discovery, browsing and enquiry journeys, with consistent typography, colour, components and messaging. Designs were prepared for handoff to the client’s development team, connecting the brand expression with practical customer actions.
The result.
3cat gained a defined brand proposition, a distinctive identity and a practical system for communicating across its services.
The work brought quality, value and sustainability into a coherent customer story, supported by a recognisable visual style and an approachable personality.
Brand guidelines, application examples and website UI gave the team a consistent foundation for presenting 3cat across digital and physical touchpoints.
Let’s discuss your priority.
Connect your brand, marketing and digital experience around the result you want to achieve.