It’s not necessarily the size that matters in the world of branding, but what you do with it that counts. And these days, the bigger you are, the more it seems you’re disadvantaged. We’re living in an age of brand fairytales where the big, nasty giants are being slayed by the heroic good guys, who save the day and get the girl (ok, so the last part of the metaphor doesn’t quite work but you get the picture).

A classic case in point is the situation that Coca Cola currently finds itself in. Having held the mantle of the world’s No.1 brand for what seemed like forever, today, it’s seriously floundering and struggling to find any relevance to today’s consumers who are clued up, right on and very easily turned off. Coke’s desperate attempts to pay lip service and meet ever higher expectations (particularly with their woeful Coke Life brand) are making them look exactly that: desperate.

The heroes in this particular brand fairytale are Karma Cola; a brand who exemplifies the challenger stance and who are playing their part in the story beautifully. With their ‘drink no evil’ strapline, they’re taking on, and calling out, the 'nasty' corporate brand who’s only aim is to line their coffers peddling sugar in their product, and saccharine in their brand delivery.

But if you’re going to slay the giant, it takes ingenuity and intelligence, not muscle. This battle is won and lost in hearts and minds and they are main-lining both with undiluted positivity and good 'karma'. Fairtrade and organic ingredients? Check. Donating some of the profits to developing countries? Check. Authentic, natural recipe? Check. A foundation that supports local communities? Check. Oh, and it’s beautifully designed and tastes pretty good too. It sounds like the perfect brand fairytale. Time will tell if they get their happy ever after but they’ve reached ‘brand nirvana’ right now.