Local footwear brand Drip has changed their evergreen slogan “The Township Dream” in favour of a new movement, “Live Your Great”, as the label evolves into its toddler cycle.

Founder Lekau Sehoana, 32, hosted a relaunch on Wednesday evening in Midrand, Johannesburg.

Sehoana, raised in an informal settlement in Ivory Park, Midrand, told Sowetan that “Live Your Great” was much more than a catchy tagline.

“It’s not just a slogan, it’s more of a brand promise.  We as a brand are making a promise to the public and consumer,” Sehoana said. “We are going to continue inspiring the children in the township to look at themselves, where they are and then help them discover the greatness within them.

“The Township Dream was about us going back and showing those in the township that it’s possible. If Lekau Sehoana can do it, coming from the same neighbourhood as you, then you also can. People are now owning their stories and that’s what Drip is about.

“We have achieved so much in inspiring people to start their own businesses and people going to school. Even in silence, like doing the soup kitchen and giving back to communities through the charity drive that we do that we don’t show in public.”

But how exactly will the public see the new empowerment movement unfold?

“If you notice social media you have seen that Lady Du has started sending teasers. But we are going to align with people that come from the same background as me, be it normal South Africans in the townships, who are going to be brand ambassadors for us — that wielder or schoolteacher,” Sehoana said.

“People that have tapped into their inner greatness. So we will have campaigns of ordinary South Africans doing great things in their communities. But also, those ones that have the potential of being great and artists.”

Sehoana launched the sneaker brand in July 2019 and now has 16 stores across the country. “I failed in business for 16 years and what kept me going was that I had hope and faith that one day something will happen for me. They say you only have to get it right once and this is my once,” Sehoana said.

“I started selling to one customer and it just grew. I knew it had the potential of being big, but not at this pace. The authenticity of my story and where I come from has been the winning recipe. It has been an inspirational journey filled with persistence.”

The event was attended by  stars Nomuzi Mabena, Thabo “T-bose” Mokelwe, DJ Sabby and Aaron Moloisi.

Sehoana plans to open the Drip education centre in Ivory Park next March.