Manual
TPC
TPC
TPC
Whether it’s road, mountain, or gravel, cycling has surged in popularity across the board. There aren’t just more riders, there are also a lot more bikes out in the world—many of which end up sparsely used, sitting idle in a garage, or stored away in a back room of a bike shop. TPC is reinventing the bike market to solve this exact issue; however, their platform goes far beyond the ordinary marketplace or e-commerce website. They’ve developed something different—an ecosystem that allows riders to continually trade bikes in, swap them out, or move up the ladder as their skills progress. While this flexibility creates an enticing proposition for a range of riders, from novice to expert, it presented a number of challenges from a brand and storytelling perspective. We not only needed to build trust in the idea of “used,” we had to show people that used bikes are an asset, rather than a sunk cost.
TPC came to Manual to evolve its brand identity and visual storytelling to better represent the level of expertise, bike knowledge, and customer obsession that sits at the heart of the brand.
Our approach:
Give people a peek behind the scenes.
When it comes to used bikes, it can be tough to know what you’re buying. We wanted to give riders a glimpse of the master mechanics at work, so they better understand TPC’s standards/inspections processes, and ultimately feel confident in their purchases.
Keep it rooted in performance.
TPC might sell used inventory, but these aren’t your run-of-the-mill commuter bikes. We used a shorter, sportier acronym paired with a technical aesthetic to communicate a feeling of authority / expertise and better appeal to the discerning bike enthusiast.
Tell a human story, not just a product one.
TPC doesn’t just sell bikes and gear. It’s a creator of content, a reviewer of products, and a wellspring of riding knowledge. We wanted to create a lifestyle brand and help people see this was more than an e-commerce platform. Our goal was to create an editorial look and feel to inspire imaginations and get riders excited about their next potential purchase.
Emphasize the cyclicality of ownership.
To build on-going customer relationships, people need to understand TPC is more than a one-stop shop. By highlighting concepts of circularity, evolution, and continuous movement in our visual and verbal language, we strive to remind people that owning a bike does not have to be a forever proposition.
As the world’s largest retailer of pre-owned bicycles, TPC is passionate about helping cyclists find their next great ride—making sure high-quality bikes keep rolling. They believe that every bike has a next owner, and that we all benefit when we keep more bikes on roads and trails. Some call it “recommerce.” Some call it “the circular economy.” TPC calls it common sense.
The Pro's Closet began as a business selling used bike apparel and gear, and has since expanded into selling bikes, frames, wheels, and beyond. After learning that staff and customers referred to the brand as 'TPC' our recommendation was to adopt an acronym approach to the name and logo—allowing for a more contemporary and succinct brand expression.
A bold and assured new logotype forges a connection to the sport and geometry of bike frame design.
A bold color palette—drawn directly from vibrant bike frame designs—combined with a simple modular color-blocking layout system, allows for easy implementation and endless flexibility.
The unconventional use of a characterful serif typeface for primary messaging helps instill a sense of trust, while also lending an editorial tone to the brand. The warmer and more human typographic voice sits in contrast with the sportiness of the logo and color-blocking system.
To create visual coherence when collaborating with various photographers, we established a set of guiding principles for TPC photos: Unexpected, Welcoming, Dynamic, and Authentic. These principles guarantee the effective portrayal of the brand's strategic qualities when engaging diverse audiences across multiple categories.
A new library of photography, by Cameron Strand and Josh Weinberg, brings both warmth and dynamism to the brand—showing riders in perpetual motion.
