Description

OLX: "The Makers." A B2B Film Series that turned hidden talents into businesses

The Challenge:

In a Ukrainian economy paralyzed by war, our B2B challenge was immense. Our target audience — talented makers, craftspeople, and aspiring entrepreneurs — had the skills but had lost the confidence or had no idea how to start a business. Complicating this, their perception of OLX as a "second-hand flea market" created a huge credibility gap.
Our task was to create a B2B film campaign that could cut through the despair, shatter our old image, and convince skilled individuals that OLX was the serious, trustworthy platform on which to build their future.

The Idea:

Instead of a traditional B2B approach with statistics or tutorials, our idea was to create a series of short, cinematic films that would act as a powerful mirror for our audience.
Our insight was that these makers often don't see the true commercial value in what they create. So, the strategic goal of our films was not to sell a service, but to validate a vocation. Each film would tell the story of a "maker" and, through beautiful, elevated visuals, reveal the hidden value in their craft, making them, and thousands of others watching, believe in their own potential.

Execution:

We produced a series of films built on three key principles to connect with our B2B audience:
Authentic heroes: We featured three relatable archetypes—a jam-maker, a pet-furniture carpenter, a dressmaker. They represented the real people in our B2B audience, making the story instantly recognizable and inspiring.
Cinematic craft as a business Tool: We deliberately used high-end cinematography and meticulous, hand-built art direction. This was a crucial strategic choice. By visually treating their humble crafts with the reverence of luxury goods, we instantly elevated their work and, by extension, positioned the OLX platform as a professional business partner, directly combating the "flea market" image.
The "Ecosystem": The three makers were shown buying from each other. This wasn't just a clever story, it was a concise, visual demonstration of the business community OLX enables. It made the abstract B2B promise of "finding customers" feel tangible and real.

The Results:

Our film-centric B2B strategy proved immensely effective. The emotional, validating stories resonated deeply and drove powerful business outcomes:
The films captured the audience's attention, achieving an ad recall +74% higher than the benchmark.
This inspiration drove direct business action, with unique visitors to our B2B hub surging by +258%.
Ultimately, the film series helped empower over 100,000 entrepreneurs, contributing to a +54% YoY growth in revenue.

The campaign succeeded because it treated a B2B audience not as data points, but as creative individuals with hidden potential. It proved that in the B2B space, a powerful, human-centric film isn't just advertising; it's a fundamental tool for building trust and driving growth.

Campaign period - 18/09/2023 – 05/11/2023

Credits

OLX Ukraine:
E-com Marketing Director OLX Europe: Andriy Vasyliev
Senior marketing manager: Alyona Horkovenko

TOBEDONE Agency:
Creative director: Mira Chinar
Senior Copywriter: Danylo Tertychnyi
Designer: Slava Kobzenko

Production:
NOSTARS Ukraine

Campaign period - 18/09/2023 – 05/11/2023