Cannabis Branding: How To Brand Your Cannabis Business
Proper branding is at the heart of being successful in any industry and the cannabis business is no different. As the legal weed industry grows and becomes more competitive, cannabis companies are constantly looking for better ways to promote themselves and their products.In this post, we’re going to share some of our favorite cannabis branding tips to help you solidify your brand in the cannabis industry.
Understand What A Brand Is
The first step to building a strong cannabis brand is to understand what a brand actually is.
When we think about brands, we usually think of names like Coca-Cola and Nestle, or iconic logos like the Golden Arches. But really, a brand is much more than a logo or name. In essence, it’s a representation of everything your company stands for.
Every great brand tells a story and connects with its target consumers on a very particular level. Look at an international brand like Nike. Nike’s ads are empowering, confident, and highly motivational. They don’t only say “just do it;” but make you feel it as well.
Your brand needs to be just as conceptual. Sure, logos and colors are important but don’t start working on them before taking a birds-eye view of your product and what it represents (which brings us to our next cannabis branding tip).
Decide What You Stand For
Great brands, as we saw, are more than just colorful logos or catchy names. Great brands stand for something specific and project it clearly to their audience.
As a cannabis company, there are a lot of options when it comes to what you can stand for. More and more cannabis businesses are supporting the organic movement, for example, by using only organically grown cannabis and hemp in their products, while others openly support health or education.
Mary’s Medicinals, for example, dedicates a whole section of its website to “The Science Of Cannabinoids: Information Made Simple.” It also has another section on its site dedicated to ending prohibition and encouraging people to get involved in the legalization movement.
Lord Jones, on the other hand, clearly promotes health and wellbeing throughout its entire line of products (the brand’s slogan reads “for your mind and body”). Even its confections are made using Ecuadorian dark chocolate, natural fruit essences, and hemp extract derived from organically grown crops. They stay true to their brand throughout all parts of the organization.
These are just 2 examples of cannabis brands that are successfully making a stand for something positive in the industry. To help your brand grow and attract a loyal following, make sure you take a similar approach to something you and your team are passionate about.
Understand Your Customer
Successful brands know who their customers are and how to reach them. And that's important regardless of whether you’re selling chocolate bars or cannabis extracts.
One thing any cannabis company needs to realize is this; weed isn’t just for “stoners.” The legalization of cannabis has shown us that everyone enjoys weed. To be successful in this vast industry, you need to understand what kind of cannabis consumer you're targeting.
In order to build a strong connection with your customers, make sure you start by understanding who they are. Your ideal customer should be central to your cannabis branding strategy.
Build Your Brand Around Your Customers
Once you understand your target customer, you’ll be able to make informed decisions about how to present your company. Without having that basis, your brand could end up scattered and incomplete.
Let’s imagine your company is trying to target women in their 30-40s, who might have enjoyed cannabis in the past and are interested in trying it again. Think about how you would position your brand.
Would you sell strains called Green Crack, Sour Diesel, or AK-47? Probably not. What about your packaging? Would you sell your strains in bright red, yellow, and green boxes? Probably not, because chances are these classic “stoner” cliches aren’t going to connect with your target consumer.
Instead, you’ll want to use strain names, logos, and packaging that reflect your audience and connects with them. The only way to do that is by putting in the effort to research and get to know your audience and their preferences, then accommodate to them.
Cannabis branding can be complex. With these few tips, however, you can get started on building a better brand today.
The Easiest Way To Purchase Cannabis
At greenRush, the easiest way to purchase cannabis, we’re passionate about helping cannabis companies build strong brands and viable marketing channels. Combining the latest tech and a passion for cannabis, we’re proud to have launched the most powerful marketing engine in the industry.