The 21st century has indeed shown the world that we live in very interesting times. One of the few positive things to come out of this era is the gradual legalization of cannabis in North America.
To put things into perspective, sales of medical cannabis in the United States have increased from $5.5 billion in 2015 to $6.7 billion in 2016.[1]
For so long, the business of cannabis didn’t need marketing or branding. The norm for buying weed as a consumer was basically relying on word-of-mouth or whatever was available at the time. With the War on Drugs having largely failed and with nationalized legalization looming ever closer to reality, cannabis marketing has exploded into its own trade. It’s still a relatively young industry with studies indicating that advertising is higher in legal markets, but brand awareness for products still remains low across all general consumers, reflecting the present novelty of the cannabis market.[2] As a result, cannabis brands must navigate a confusing patchwork of state-level trademark laws to cobble together whatever common-law rights they can muster.[3] In an effort to keep up with competition, cannabis companies have now started to put more time and effort into their graphic design and packaging.
Keep reading to see what Canna Culture thinks are the best current examples of cannabis branding.
Contents
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What Makes for Good Branding?
The traits of any good brand, not just a cannabis brand, are, but not limited to:
- Remaining consistent across all forms of media from the logo to printed materials and use in ads
- Evoking a positive emotional response from your target audience
- Motivating people to buy your product
- Giving a sense of business credibility
- Conveying its culture effectively
- Encouraging customer loyalty through recognition.
Examples of Great Cannabis Branding
Flower
- Pure Beauty
- Right off the bat, Pure Beauty draws you in with its alluring hipster high fashion color palette and art direction. Their products would look right at home displayed in a boutique next to the makeup and perfume. The flower itself is pretty great too and Pure Beauty uses green and sustainable practices in their packaging, which should always be encouraged.
- Kings Garden
- Kings Garden just strikes the right balance of good packaging and good product with their jar’s distinct gold colored tops, lazy eye logo, and dank buds.
- Good Brands
- Good Brands is what every weed company should aspire to: have good packaging, grow the best weed they can, use sustainable practices, pay workers fair wages, and use pure waters with no pesticides. Sounds pretty ‘Good’ to us!
Cartridge
- Select
- Select’s bestselling line of ‘Elite’ vape cartridges successfully combines a high potency product with great flavor and a simple minimalist presentation. We are loving it!
- The Select Elites deliver activated, broad-spectrum oil with the highest THC level possible and big flavor.
- Heavy Hitters
- If you are looking for a self-explanatory brand, then this is it! Heavy hitters pack a ton of potency in a small package. They only use the most purified and rigorously-tested ingredients to deliver a clean, deliciously strong hit every time.
- Friendly Farms
- Right off the bat, Friendly Farms draws you in with its striking packaging design and use of color. It will keep you as a customer once you’ve experienced their high-level potency and flavor.
Edible
- Kiva Confections
- By teaming up with master chocolatiers and growers, Kiva has proven themselves to be #1 in the field of edibles with their premium award-winning line of cannabis-infused products. Their understated packaging sure isn’t bad either.
- PLUS Gummies
- We’re a sucker for packaging, and PLUS’ Altoids-like tins certainly doesn’t disappoint. It’s a good thing the products they contain taste and feel just as good as they look. Each batch is made to exacting standards and makes for a nice present.
- Wyld
- Coming straight out of the Pacific Northwest, this company sets itself apart with its earthy packaging and artisanal gourmet craft line of gummies. Made to be enjoyed while hiking amongst nature, Wyld makes for a perfect travel companion.
Extract
- Raw Garden
- There’s something subtly enticing about Raw Garden’s line of sauces and resins. Maybe it’s the tasteful packaging. Maybe it’s the tangy aromas. Maybe it’s the way it brings you those euphoric peaks. It’s all those things and more.
- Raw Garden uses a cryogenic freezing technique to capture the essence of the cannabis plant. Then they extract the oil from the frozen plants to create their patented Raw Garden Live Resin and Refined Live Resin products.
- Almora Farm
- Almora Farm is a family owned business that works tirelessly to create some of the best home-grown cannabis products. Their live resins are top-notch and are made specially for weed connoisseurs.
- Stiiizy
- Stiiizy isn’t just a cannabis company. They present themselves as a whole lifestyle brand with various collabs, accessories, and apparel to match. Their reputation is well-earned as their badders and resins are super gunky and will elevate you to new heights.
Preroll
- Kingroll
- With Kingroll, you are guaranteed to be transported to another galaxy with their line of cannabis oil & kief-infused pre-rolls. Each joint is handcrafted blending two unique flavors: their award-winning Loudpack flower and Kingpen’s award-winning oil. Welcome to the kingdom indeed.
- Dimebag
- If you’re looking for a product that’s affordable, but gives you the most bang for your buck, then this is your brand. Dimebag has tons of options from packs, to single joints that won’t put too much strain on your wallet.
- Fuzzies
- Like the Kingrolls, these joints are infused with extract and covered in kief, just the way we like it: decadent. Combined with its simple packaging and you’ve got a winning brand to return to again and again.
- El Blunto
- With its cheeky name and beautiful packaging, El Blunto is a no-brainer for all the blunt smokers out there. El Blunto has got your back.
- Born from a desire for craftsmanship, El Blunto uses age-old techniques from master cigar-rollers to create products of the highest caliber with the highest level of finishing.
Topical
- Poppa & Barkley
- You wouldn’t know that Poppa & Barkley’s line of topical creams are cannabis infused by looking at them. They look more at home next to Burt’s Bees than at your local dispensary. But that’s what we love about it. Not only are their products soothing and effective, but their packaging is very tasteful and discreet.
- Bordenave
- With their tin can packaging and old timey presentation, Bordenave’s line of all-purpose cannabis-infused line of topical creams are perfect to bring along for after the gym, relaxing at home, or for travel.
The verdict: As a brand, you can never fail with great packaging and great products!
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#JoinTheCulture now! Serving the Bay Area since 2011, our loyal customers can attest that Canna Culture is one of the most trusted brands in the cannabis industry.
We provide a full spectrum of lab-tested THC and CBD products. We have edibles, waxes, shatters, CBD extracts, various strains of flowers, CO2 concentrates, topicals, and much more!
Cost
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If you’ve enjoyed reading about great cannabis branding, we recommend checking out our news blog. You’ll get lost in a haze of all of our amazing content. We look forward to sparking up your acquaintance soon.
What’s your preferred cannabis brand? Share your thoughts with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
FAQ
What Makes a Great Cannabis Brand?
What makes a great cannabis brand, as with any brand, is a consistent look and message across all mediums, encouraging customer loyalty through recognition, cultivating a credible appearance, an appealing culture, and, of course, a great product.
Is Marijuana Still Illegal at the Federal Level?
Yes, marijuana is still illegal at the federal level. People are working tirelessly to put legalization into law.
Is There a Difference Between THC and CBD?
THC is known for its euphoric, “high” feeling, while CBD is not really intoxicating and has more subtle health-based benefits.
Is There a Difference Between Indica and Sativa?
Indicas give people more of a “body” high, while sativas provide more of a “mind.” Hybrids of differing strengths can be grown from both indicas and sativas.
References
- Shabnam, M. S. (2017). Trademarks and Branding in the Cannabis Industry. ProQuest, 13(3), 30th ser., 12-13. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/openview/deb6dd2e4486809a4ffe91e0fb25e763/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=38541
- Rup, J., Goodman, S., & Hammond, D. (2020). Cannabis advertising, promotion and branding: Differences in consumer exposure between ‘legal’ and ‘illegal’ markets in Canada and the US. Preventative Medicine, 133. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2020.106013
- Gilbertson, J. (2020). Blunt Advice: A Crash Course in Cannabis Trademarks. Hein Online. Retrieved from https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/idea60&div=21&id=&page=