Resale platform Depop recently launched a new campaign starring Swedish singer Zara Larsson.

As part of the platform’s marketing drive, Larsson provided an exclusive edit featuring 20 to 30 pieces of her personal wardrobe, alongside upcycled merchandise and “one-of-a-kind” fashion items.

The campaign gave fans the chance to own part of her collection, with all proceeds going to charity.

Steve Dool, senior director of brand and creative at Depop believes that Larsson was the right person for the campaign because the “Depop community always responds well to people with a distinct sense of style”.

He explains: “Over the course of the last year, Zara Larsson has solidified her place as one of the most engaging entertainers in pop music. In addition to her obvious vocal talent and performance ability, she has a great sense of humour and the type of magnetic personality that can charm a wide audience.

“Zara Larsson also has shown that she likes to have fun with her wardrobe, mixing and matching different pieces, which gives a brand like ours a lot of space to play.”

He says that Depop is always on the lookout for new ways to make its marketing more informative and entertaining.

“We are not shy about shouting about all of the reasons Depop is the best choice for everyone to sell and buy their clothing, but it’s always an added bonus when we can spread that message with a healthy dose of humour” he notes.

“Our aim in working with Larsson was to do just that, while also opening doors for more people to engage with resale through a drop of items from her own wardrobe that Larsson is listing on Depop. If the possibility of owning a piece of clothing from your favourite pop star is the gateway toward participating in a better, more circular system of fashion consumption, that is a beautiful thing.”

Dool explains that they knew from the start of this year what messages they wanted to tell about the brand,  providing a framework for bringing that marketing drive to life.

He shares: “We first worked with the comedian Jo Sunday to write the scripts, and as the process continued, we collaborated closely with Larsson and the campaign’s director Dave Meyers to get it to its final form that the world can see today.

“We are always trying to meet the audience where they are, and so much media is consumed on social media and other digital platforms.

“So the spots themselves live on those channels, and are supported by a host of supporting content that is tailored to specific social channels. It’s all a cohesive, but diverse, way to tell a bigger story with more depth and colour that can reach millions of people.”

Depop are looking for that key brand lift, while also monitoring social conversation and engagement to see how well the collaboration has landed.

However, the team at Depop are confident that audiences are responding well to its new collaboration. Dool highlights that Larsson’s global reach and the dopamine hit that comes from buying or selling fashion second-hand is a “potent combination”.

He says: “Internally, we are very clear on our brand values and positioning. That clarity also allows us to have an understanding of where we don’t need to hold so tight and can make room for the perspectives of our collaborators to shine through and take centre stage for a bit.

“It also helps us to understand which of those collaborators share our values authentically well before we approach anyone about working with us.

“If this collaboration inspires audiences to step into the world of buying and selling secondhand clothes on Depop to make and save money and engage with a better fashion system, then we’ve done our job”

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