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7 New Brand Building laws... you NEED these to win in 2025

7 New Brand Building laws... you NEED these to win in 2025

Dan Pope
October 31, 2025

The way you build a brand in 2025 has DRASTICALLY changed, brev.

The Strategies and tactics that worked 15 years ago, no longer work, brev.

The World Changes. Strategy must change. Times change. Tactics must change.

So many brands are following outdated playbooks from GymShark and AG1 in 2011.

I chinwagged with DIRTEA’s founders, Simon and Andy, they taught me 7 Brand New Brand Building commandments (they’re insane!!)

Some new. Some timeless. Some nuanced. All relevant. All applicable for you, today, chief.

1.THINK LIKE LOUIS VUITTON - HOW IS YOUR BRAND A STATUS SYMBOL?

DIRTEA concession in Selfridges = STATUS. STATUS. STATUS.

DIRTEA don’t think and act like a typical FMCG brand.
DIRTEA think and act like Luis Vuitton or Hermes or Vivian Westwood.

Always asking these two questions:

How do we elevate our tribe’s status?
How is our brand a status symbol in people’s kitchens?

Status spreads ideas.

When you elevate your tribe’s status.

They create a Shareable-Status Story.

“I managed to bag Oasis tickets…” = Status Elevated, Story Created, Idea Spread

“I got a limited edition Luis Vuitton handbag…” = Status Elevated, Story Created, Idea Spread

“I went to this DIRTEA coffee and mushroom rave in Notting Hill” = Status Elevated, Story Created, Idea Spread

STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS

Tobey Duncan, Chief Brand Strategist at Uncommon Creative Studio told me this.

Brand Fame + Conviction > all else

DIRTEA deeply understand, Brand Fame + Conviction > all else. They strategically partner with “Giants”.

Giants with authority like Rita Ora, Marcus Rashford, Bear Grills, Dr. Tara Swart.

DIRTEA leverage others authority to increase their brand authority.

How you can “hack” brand fame in 2025 ?

If I were starting a brand (one day, I will) I’d find the “authorities” in the space and offer them a small amount of equity, in return, they evangelise your brand and shout about it from the rooftops.

Pasta Evangelists offered Food Critic Giles Coren and celebrity chef Prue Leith equity in the business = Passport to Brand Fame

Bold Bean Co. launched a SKU with Ottoloenghi launched in Waitrose = Passport to Brand Fame.

Brand Fame + Conviction > all else.

BRAND IS A MOAT IS OUTDATED IN 2025

“Brand is a moat” is outdated in 2025.

It’s never been easier to build a brand in 2025.
It’s never been harder to build a moat in 2025.

What’s the answer?

Well, at 5.30am, at the Serpentine in Hyde Park, come rain or snow or sunshine.

Every. Single. Day.

Simon Salter is with his DIRTEA tribe.

Cold water swimming. Drinking mushrooms. Sharing stories, doubling laughter, halving problems (and penis size).

12 years ago,

brands could win purely by partnering with influencers and being the first “content led brand”. GymShark. AG1 etc. etc.

Today,

we’re pummelled erryyyy-muthaaa-fukin day with content, emails, reels, instagram notifications.

Brands must Zig against the Zag.

Brands must go narrow and deep, whilst others go shallow and wide.

Brands must build in real life, whilst others build online.

Hugs over likes.

In 2025, building an In Real Life Community is not a moat.

Nay, fuck that.

It’s a fucking 10 ft brick wall with Sniper Rifles all around it.

Simon said something striking:

”to win as a brand in 2025… we’re no longer in the era of Survival of the Fittest (biggest shallow social follow)

…. we’re in the age of Survival of the Kindest (smallest, deepest community)”

4.DON’T COMPETE AGAINST YOUR “COMPETITORS”.

the real reason some brands make it, but most die

here's MIND BLOWING secret

The DIRTEA founders told me

Shhhhhh… come here mate… listen up

Oatly doesn’t compete with other Alt-Milks.
Oatly compete Normal Dairy Milk (soz VEJA-Vegans)

DASH Water don’t compete with other flavoured sparkling water.
DASH Water compete with Diet Coke or Coke Zero.

PerfectTed doesn’t compete with other functional matcha brands.
PerfectTed compete with RedBull or Monster.

Bold Bean Co | B Corp™ doesn’t compete with other bean brands.
Bold Bean Co | B Corp™ Bean Co compete with pasta brands, like Barrilla.

DIRTEA doesn’t compete with other functional mushroom brands.
DIRTEA compete with coffee brands.

Good brands, pick fights in their category.
Great brands, pick much bigger fights.

Great brands fight for a pre-existing consumption occasion.

DIRTEA replaces your 7.14am morning coffee.

Bold Bean Co replaces your Wednesday Evening family Spag Bol (with G Bread, obvs)

PerfectTed replaces your Redbull for your 5am Barry’s class with trainer Gregarious n’ Girthy Garth.

Wanna be a Great brand?

Think WAY WAY WAY BIGGER than your current “category”.

Think about infiltrating consumption occasions in other categories.

5.BE A RITUALISTIC BRAND.

DIRTEA dances with your day, harps with your habits, jives with your juggles n’ sings loudly with your struggles.

DIRTEA have a buffet of wondrous SKU’s meaning you’re always gettin’ Dirty with DIRTEA.

You can literally consume DIRTEA all day everyday.

The more you infiltrate you consumers daily habits and rituals, the more product you sell. Simples

More brands must ask the hard question:
How many consumption occasions does your brand ACTUALLY operate in, in your consumers day?

One of the battles we had at ManiLife was showing that peanut butter boundaries extend way beyond toast.

We’d constantly create recipes and other usage occasions.