Buying a car is one of the biggest purchases most people will make, and often one of the most dreaded. Negotiating price. Getting handed off from one person to the next. Wondering if you’re getting a good deal or just being sold to.

Donnelly Automotive Group wanted to change that.

As a trusted auto group serving Ontario drivers for decades, Donnelly knew the car-buying experience was problematic. They saw an opportunity to lead their industry with something bold, simple, and customer-first.

We partnered with them to create Donnelly One, a complete brand and messaging system that introduced a new kind of car-buying process.

 

rethinking an age-old experience

Most people don’t look forward to walking into a dealership. The typical sales journey is complicated and stressful. You negotiate the price, repeat your story to three different people, and leave unsure if you made the right decision. It was time to humanize that experience.

 

a simple promise

We began by naming the new program Donnelly One.

One price. One point of contact. One week to change your mind. A name that makes the promise clear and delivers on it.

Then we brought it to life through a multi-layered brand system, including:

• Visual identity & iconography to simplify key concepts
• Plainspoken messaging, reinforcing clarity
• In-store signage and collateral walking customers through what to expect
• Video storytelling to build trust and familiarity before people even arrived
• Landing pages and campaign support to help each dealership share the message online

We worked to make every piece feel grounded, human, and clear, cutting through the noise of typical car sales language.

a better experience from start to finish

Internally, Donnelly One challenged old habits and brought alignment to the team. Sales reps were empowered with a single consistent approach that put the customer first.

Externally, customers understood the offer, trusted the process, and appreciated having one person guide them through every step.

From a brand perspective, Donnelly now has a modern identity that reflects its values — one that lives consistently from the website to the showroom floor.

Donnelly One humanized the sales process. When the experience is clear, human, and consistent, everybody drives away feeling good.