OTO CBD is a Business Reporter client
A visitor to California in the late 1990s will have been struck by the sight of dispensaries openly selling CBD products. In recognition of its medical benefits, the state passed a law in 1996 legalising cannabis, and a major industry quickly developed: oils, capsules, drinks and other products containing CBD – a non-addictive, non-psychoactive molecules found in the hemp plant – soon lined the shelves of cafes and home kitchens, and dispensaries proliferated.
But over in the UK, things took a slightly different course. The UK government legalised CBD in 2018 on the back of evidence that showed its use as a pain reliever, a treatment for anxiety, sleep and more. But the growth of the industry was slow. Most CBD products were low in quality, tasted foul and were hard to come by. The lightning-quick evolution of the market in California should have provided a lesson for UK companies – and yet, for a time at least, it didn’t.
Gemma Colao had been living and working in California in the late 2010s, just as the CBD industry was gathering steam. Working as a designer in the fast-paced fashion industry in San Francisco, the long days, late nights and crazy deadlines were starting to take their toll. Each day, she would return to the home she shared with her husband, James Bagley, anxious and unable to sleep. The experience pushed her to look for alternative treatments, and a friend recommended she try CBD. She quickly came to understand why the industry in California had become so successful: the tinctures she used provided quick and lasting relief – and it planted a seed in her that would take root and start to flower once she and James returned to the UK.
Back in London, Gemma was disappointed with the products available in the UK. Not only were the levels of CBD in them ineffective, but they were unpleasant to use. The market was missing sophisticated, effective and enjoyable CBD products that could seamlessly fit into everyday life. So, with the help of a bunch of brilliant, innovative friends, Gemma and James took on the challenge of creating the world’s most luxurious CBD experiences – and OTO, a luxury CBD brand that creates optimum-strength oils, creams, balms, serums and drinks, was born.
OTO’s team of world-leading scientists drew on the best global research, and in doing so created a standard that users could trust. Its products, all of them carrying the OTO Strength™ guarantee that assures users are receiving the optimum amount of CBD per day, soon began to appear on the shelves of leading UK outlets such as Harrods, Selfridges, Liberty, Fortnum & Mason and more. They became the first of their kind to make it to high-end stores.
“My passion is design, so this really set us apart,” says Gemma. “Not only have we created the world’s most innovative CBD portfolio, including our award-winning sleep drops, the world’s only CBD pillow-mist and the world’s first CBD cocktail bitters, but our full product experience is thoughtfully curated and sits beautifully on any shelf.
“We are the category leader in approach, positioning, honesty and integrity. We call out ineffective ‘fad’ products. With the explosion of CBD brands at low cost, we must stand out and drive brand awareness. Our approach is driven by testimonials, recommendations and referrals, always. We take a benefit-led approach to marketing that drives loyalty, without making medical claims or promises.”
In 2021, the company took another step forward. The name OTO comes from the Japanese word for “sound” – relating to the understanding and sensing of sound and silence – and that said something about the company’s ethos: this wasn’t simply about dabbing a CBD cream on your face and getting on with the day, but about the broader experience – or range of experiences – that high-end CBD products could offer.
Helen Cain joined OTO that year. Having spent 25 years working with spas, she knew that nobody had done CBD well in that space. OTO had already gained a profile in the CBD retail market; now, with Helen’s expertise, it could do the same in the experiences market.
So in late 2021, OTO launched the world’s first sensory CBD-infused massage experience. The research team had set its collective mind to the task of developing premium-grade CBD massage products that could be combined with a set of signature sound therapies and the art of crystal. Very soon, the products had attracted the attention of top spas such as Mandarin Oriental, The Langham, Iconic Luxury Hotels and Montcalm East. By the end of 2022, OTO’s multisensory massage experiences were present in more than 30 spas across the UK.
“OTO had already established itself as a luxury brand within the retail space, which helped when approaching the world’s leading spas,” says Helen. “Our goal was to create the most effective and immersive spa experiences, ones that allowed CBD to take centre stage. Rather than simply adding CBD oil to a massage, we deliver ‘OTO Strength™’ CBD through a fully considered experience. This really set us apart.
“The fact that the US is sitting up and paying attention is testament to just how special OTO is as a brand. Many of our UK partners have now launched OTO at their US sites – including the Mondrian South Beach and The Langham Pasadena. We are only getting started out there – it’s a very exciting time.”
All the while, European companies were also taking note, and the hotel chain OKU began using OTO’s products in its spas. The brand has become synonymous with luxury, but its roots remained firmly in wellness – all it had done was master how to join the two.
Innovation is at the heart of OTO. It progressed thanks in part to its founders’ willingness to give space to new ideas, and in part through the realisation that a market for such a product will only grow when that product delivers on its promise.
For more information please visit: www.otocbd.com.
Originally published on Business Reporter
