OLX converts unique used items into art

In May 2014, e-commerce major OLX kicked off an on-ground activity with a 10,000 km motorcycle journey called’The Great India Collectors’ Ride’ in search of the most unique items across the country. The firm aimed to build its pan-India brand presence and consumer connect through this initiative.

Travelling across 45 cities and towns in 50 days, the riders met a myriad collectors, and picked out the most unique items from their collections that they had put up for sale on OLX. Each of these items has been put together to give life to the first-of-its-kind motorcycle art installation called the OLX Freedom Bike. The piece of art, made entirely of collectible and vintage items, was unveiled by OLX in Delhi in the presence of leading motorcycle communities, artists, media, actors Rajiv Khandelwal and  Rohit Roy, and popular music band Indian Ocean, which also performed at the event.

The Great India Collectors Ride was done in association with xBhp, India’s largest motorcycling community. The 12-feet-long and 7-feet- high Freedom Bike has been created from scratch by Delhi-based designers Gautam and Prateek, who specialise in creating installations and sculptors. The creative piece of art uses the collectible and vintage items in the most imaginative ways — a railway lamp as the headlight, a gramophone as the silencer, a lamp as the break light, a Charkha and voice recorder as the engine, and typewriter as number plate.

Amarjit Batra, CEO, OLX.in, commented, “The intent of this journey was to explore the diversity of India, celebrate the spirit of freedom that lies at the heart of OLX and motorcycling, and demonstrate the hidden value of used goods. As the largest free classifieds of India, OLX has given people freedom from middlemen, and the freedom to sell and buy at the price, place, and time of their choice. The OLX Freedom Bike is symbolic of this freedom, and of the value of used goods. OLX is the largest marketplace for used motorcycles in India, and the default destination for those who want to sell and buy collectible and vintage items. Through this initiative we have shared the extraordinary stories and collections of these ordinary people.