What DISSIDENTIA does

DISSIDENTIA is an independent branding, strategic consulting, and creative agency headquartered in Lyon, France, founded in 2014 by Aurélie Gilles (Director of Strategic Planning) and Sébastien Cacitti (Creative Director). The firm operates a boutique B2B model serving medium and large enterprises, public institutions, and regional organizations across approximately 20 verticals including education, healthcare, hospitality, banking, energy, food and beverage, fashion, architecture, and tourism. Named clients include EMLYON Business School, Hospices Civils de Lyon, HEXAOM, CNR, Valrhona, Crédit Agricole Centre-Est, NINKASI, FINAXYS, and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Tourisme.

The agency's service offering is organized into nine disciplines: strategic positioning, naming (with intellectual-property coordination), brand identity design, digital strategy and platform creation, brand activation, editorial and print design, signage/wayfinding, retail environment design, and overarching branding strategy. It delivers brand platforms, visual identity systems, naming, digital ecosystems, and integrated communication campaigns, leveraging project-specific collaborations with architecture firms (ADC, Damien Carreres Architecture, Franck Vella/HTVS Cabinet), a digital development partner (Sharewood), and strategic collaborators (Ekno, JBL Conseil). There are no proprietary technology products, software platforms, or AI/ML systems; the firm's "technology" is its creative methodology and accumulated portfolio IP.

Commercially, DISSIDENTIA operates a project-based professional services model with custom-quoted engagements and no publicly disclosed pricing tiers or standardized packages. Distribution is entirely direct, primarily through regional B2B engagements in France, supplemented by word-of-mouth, partner referrals, and a website portfolio used for top-of-funnel demand generation. The firm has no external investors, no parent company, no disclosed funding history, and emphasizes its independence as a core value. The team consists of approximately 6-7 professionals including the two founders, a client-services director, senior art directors, a project manager, and project staff.

Name

DISSIDENTIA

Legal name

DISSIDENTIA

Website

https://dissidentia.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

DISSIDENTIA is an independent Lyon-based B2B branding agency offering brand strategy, naming, visual identity, digital, activation, print, signage, and retail design services to mid-market and enterprise clients across 20+ French industry verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Brand Consulting

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (541810), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Integrated Full-Service Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental & Experiential Brand Design (Retail/Exhibit/Signage) (MPAAAEAG), Brand Activations & Experiential Campaign Design (MPAAAGAA)

Keywords

• Brand strategy consulting
• Brand identity design
• Strategic positioning services
• Brand naming services
• Visual identity design

Headquarters

HQ city

Lyon

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Branding and Creative Services: Project-based professional services for brand strategy, positioning, naming, identity design, digital design, activation, print, signage, and retail branding

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

DISSIDENTIA is an independent branding and strategic creative agency that delivers end-to-end brand transformation projects for B2B clients, covering strategic Positioning, Naming, Brand Identity, Digital platforms, Activation campaigns, Print/Editorial, Signage/Wayfinding and Retail branding. Services are delivered as custom project-based engagements, combining strategic planning with creative direction for enterprises and institutions seeking distinctive brand territories and coherent multi-touchpoint identity systems.

Product overview

DISSIDENTIA is an independent branding, strategic consulting, and creative agency based in Lyon, France. Founded in 2014 and celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2024, the agency offers a comprehensive suite of branding services organized into nine core offerings: Positioning (strategic market positioning), Naming (brand naming and intellectual property coordination), Brand Identity (visual identity and logotype design), Digital (website development and UX/UI design), Activation (brand activation campaigns), Edition/Print (editorial and print design), Signage (architectural wayfinding), Retail (retail space design), and comprehensive Branding strategy. The agency serves diverse clients across sectors including education, energy, healthcare, hospitality, finance, food & beverage, and fashion, delivering brand platforms, visual identities, digital ecosystems, and integrated communication campaigns. The agency is co-founded by Aurélie Gilles (Planning Strategy Director) and Sébastien Cacitti (Creative Director), with a team of approximately 7 professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Strategic Positioning

Named customers23 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EknocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on brand strategy and positioning projects. Worked together on EMLYON Business School brand platform development.
• JBL ConseilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative approach on Partie Commune architecture firm rebranding project.
• ADC (Architectures De Création)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm led by Damien Carreres, collaborated on Wine You Want project for spatial design and interior architecture.
• Damien Carreres ArchitectureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpatial design collaboration on Le Grand Réfectoire & L'Officine project within Grand Hôtel Dieu.
• Franck Vella / HTVS CabinetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterior architecture collaboration on Le Grand Réfectoire & L'Officine venue design.
• SharewoodminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDigital development partner for FINAXYS website and digital ecosystem project.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Dragon Rouge: Paris-based independent branding and design agency offering brand strategy, identity, packaging, and retail design across France and internationally; direct competitor for the same French enterprise brand-transformation mandates DISSIDENTIA pursues.
• Royalties: Lyon-based boutique branding consultancy focused on brand strategy, naming, and identity design for French mid-market and enterprise clients; closest geographic and size competitor to DISSIDENTIA.
• Brand Brothers: French independent agency specialized in brand strategy, naming, and identity design for SMEs and large groups; competes directly with DISSIDENTIA for French rebranding engagements.
• Saguez & Partners: French independent branding and design agency delivering brand strategy, identity, and spatial design for premium enterprise clients; comparable boutique positioning and overlap in retail and signage work.

Broad incumbents

• Interbrand: Global brand consultancy delivering brand strategy, naming, identity, and valuation; competes with DISSIDENTIA for enterprise rebranding mandates while operating at much larger scale through a network model.
• Landor & Fitch: Global branding and design consultancy offering strategy, identity, and experience design; represents the larger, multi-geography incumbent alternative for clients comparing French boutique shops to networked providers.
• Carré Noir: Established French branding and design agency within the Publicis network, offering brand strategy, identity, packaging, and signage at a larger scale; competes with DISSIDENTIA for the same French enterprise RFPs but with significantly broader capabilities.

Emerging players

• Inventive Studio: French boutique branding and design studio serving premium and lifestyle clients with strategy, identity, and digital work; comparable in size and positioning to DISSIDENTIA with overlapping French enterprise client targets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Dissidentia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DISSIDENTIA