Some brands live – others simply exist.

You can feel it immediately:
Some brands live – others simply exist.

Alive brands are not just about nice design or a few values-driven social posts.
They are born from clarity. From a strategic idea. From the ambition to be different, not just better.

They don’t try to please everyone – they stand for something.
They spot a gap in the market and fill it with personality and purpose.
And most importantly: they stay true to themselves over time.

Let me show you what I mean, as I am currently a fanboy of cola drinks:

👉 Fritz-Kola vs. Afri-Cola

Same category.
Same market.
Same starting conditions.

But here’s the difference:

Fritz-Kola was founded as a counter-position to the mainstream – and that core idea is still alive in everything they do.
Afri-Cola once had a powerful identity, but over time, it got lost in rebrandings, watered-down messaging and visual sameness.

💬 And here comes the tragic twist:
I actually prefer the taste of Afri-Cola – which makes this comparison kind of painful for me. 😅 But taste alone doesn’t build a living brand.

Fritz is alive. Afri is flickering.
So how can you tell if a brand is truly alive?

✅ It knows what it stands for
✅ It dares to be different
✅ It delivers consistently across all touchpoints

I believe:
Branding is not art direction – it’s strategy. It’s identity. It’s leadership.
And yes, even smaller companies can build brands that move people.