The Kinetic Way to Cannabis Industry Marketing Strategy

Kinetic is surely a different agency (now nineteen creative geniuses strong 😊) than the three people venture that started out working around Dana’s dining room table. And we’ve seen a lot of transformation — not only within ourselves but also with clients we’ve been lucky enough to work with and for. But something a little crazy has happened over the last year… we have discovered this amazing little niche for our agency: cannabis branding and package design.

Marketing Strategies to Rise Above the Smoke

Now that recreational cannabis is legal in our state and the industry is booming, new dispensaries (or those transitioning from CBD or medical use) to full adult use, have found themselves struggling to stand out against a sea of utter sameness, tacky cliches and old school tropes. For us, here in Montana, cannabis is a relatively new but complex market.

Since we started Kinetic in 2007, it is hard to think of a single day in which we have not thought and worked hard to effectively, compellingly and creatively build brands for our clients through logo design, tone and tenor and above all, messaging. Messaging refers to the way a brand conveys the value it provides. And for cannabis and CBD businesses, it’s even more important to establish a solid brand strategy to determine exactly what they want to communicate with their customers — and this can be a little tricky.

Finding Your Brand Voice in the Cannabis Industry

So, how exactly does one create a unique voice and messaging strategy for one of hundreds of businesses doing, and basically saying, the exact same thing? You have got to find ways to say it differently — this is because too many brands focus on proving what makes them different from the competition when the reality is, these brands should be communicating directly with their potential customers about what makes them the best choice. And that can only come from getting to know a company’s leadership, personalities, goals and discovering the tiny little “nuggets” of brilliance behind it all.

Here is the thing. Good cannabis marketing messaging must resonate with customers in profound ways. You have to appeal to their hearts and their minds. The best cannabis marketing messaging centers around the audience, the ideal customer, and develops voice, tone and tenor with them in mind.

Effective Cannabis Branding

At the end of the day, an effective cannabis brand has a story to tell about its “why.” Capture the feeling that launched you into business in the first place. Whether it was a social justice cause, a quest for a higher-quality product, or the need for more education in the space, home in on that.

Case Study – High Mountain Dispensary

High Mountain, a cultivation operation originally focused on the medical use community was expanding. They were building a new dispensary in Billings and wanted it to be and feel different. They came to us, and it’s been so much fun! For High Mountain, we developed their messaging, tagline and preliminary website. We’ve also worked with them on social media strategies and helped orchestrate publicity events and advertising. It’s some seriously beautiful work.

So, to be blunt… we built their brand from the ground up to feel approachable yet sophisticated with touch of Montana flair that strikes the right level of adventurousness. We have learned about state regulations, compliance policies for branding and made connections with cannabis packaging vendors across the U.S. Interested in learning more? We’re here for you!