We invite you to use this eBook as a guide for legal cannabis businesses looking to create responsible brands. With new regulations, an evolving public perception and continued research, medical and recreational marijuana is becoming less of a taboo and more of a potential business venture. With new cannabis-related companies sprouting up every single day, this growing sector feels a bit like the Wild West, in which trial and error reigns supreme. But we at Canna Ventures are here to tell you, there’s a better way.
Established in 2014, Canna Ventures has a passion for helping companies achieve their business goals. With marijuana reform come vast opportunities, but also unsuspecting challenges that require an expert approach to maximize the potential for success. The first step being: education. Canna Ventures has put together this eBook as a way to help this growing market, giving cannabis businesses the best tools and practices to establish their brand, create a unique brand story and market that story to an interested, excited consumer base. There is no limit to the ways in which the cannabis sector can grow, but - just like the plants being produced - time, dedication and a knowledgeable plan of action is necessary if you want to see your business flourish.
What is a brand? It seems everyone has their own definition, so it
These are all important, of course, but really outward reflections
comes as no surprise that we have ours.
of what the brand is, rather than embodying its core essence.
It’s usually easiest to start by saying what a brand isn’t, especially in an
The true meaning is very straightforward: A brand is what your
area where there seems to be the most confusion, so here it goes:
product or service stands for.
A brand is not a name, logo or package design.
It’s honestly that simple.
Defining your brand is as important for cannabis companies as for any other company, consumer product
Consumers need to know what category you’re in. If
or service.
you don’t provide that information, they’ll group you with products or services they already know,
We know it seems simple, but we’ve
and you may end up either competing against the
seen many companies lack clarity in
wrong companies, or appearing disordered, as each
deciding on the category, often by
consumer has their own sense of who you are and
saying, “What we offer is so new, so
what you offer.
different that we’ll let the market decide for itself.”
Remember – if you don’t tell them, they will end up telling you.
Big mistake.
This rings true not only intuitively, but has been corroborated from the extensive consumer research I’ve done over the years. People constantly look for cues from your product, packaging and messaging that tell them your brand story. They want or even need to know what your brand story is so they can understand on a gut level if you fit with their sense of themselves, or if you don’t. And they purchase accordingly. There’s no question that people like stories and respond to them on a deeply personal and emotional level. It’s almost a basic instinct that helps us communicate in a meaningful and memorable way. We internalize the best stories as part of our lives, which should be your goal: to be the best brand storyteller possible. But there is a caveat here. Your brand story must be the truth. It should not be a tale or what you’d like the story to be, but a story that rings true at every possible contact point, from name and packaging to website and marketing communications. With the ubiquity of social media, any shading of the truth will be seen and instantly communicated, breaking the trust of your customers, and trust is the glue that holds your brand and customers together. Without it, you will not succeed.
You can begin to craft your story just like any writer, with a beginning, middle and end. Beginning: Today’s consumer wants a product to be about more than just someone trying to make money. Of course they understand you want this to be a profitable enterprise, but what was that first glimmer that got you into the business?
What is it about your ‘mission’ that gets you up every day and headed to the office? How do you want to make a difference in the world and in the life of your customers? The consumer truly wants to know the answer to these questions and, if you don’t tell them, I promise you – they’ll make something up that you may not like. Remember, you want your customers to be inspired by who you are and what you do, and telling the brand story enables them to actually take part in your vision. Middle: As companies grow, you’ll face challenges and market changes that may require you to shift the focus of what you want to achieve. When that happens, let people know – they need to understand why you’re doing something so they can continue to be a part of your brand franchise. Your story is really an ongoing conversation with your customers that keeps them interested, involved and committed to your brand. Don’t exclude them or think they
don’t need to know – they do. They’ll see or sense the changes or shifts in direction and will need to know that you still want and have a role in their life. Otherwise, they’ll write the middle part of your story for themselves, and it may not be what you
want.
End: Unlike most stories, there probably is no true end to your brand story, as you want it to unfold as long as possible. And while that may be, there should be a mental target of where you want the brand to continue moving, and you need to bring your customers on that journey with you. It’s always best if they can visualize that goal almost as well as you see it. In fact, as your customers, they should want to join you on that journey. Having your customers share your journey in a way that they’re featured characters in your brand story is especially relevant today when every company, brand, and personnel move is magnified and spread on social media. If your customers are fellow travelers in your story, and feel a part of it, maybe even the cause of it, you will have their support and be much better positioned to overcome problems and obstacles without losing
sight of that goal you share with them. And in that way, your brand story becomes theirs, too.
“Publicity is absolutely critical. A good PR story is infinitely more effective than a front page ad.�
First, you must determine what your brand stands for. In a very real way, establishing what you stand for sets the basis for your brand story’s plot: it gives
shape and meaning to the story you want to tell.
No. 1
We can’t tell you how many times we’ve met with the head of a company and he or she refuses to clarify what their brand stands for because they believe this will limit their potential market. In truth, it’s exactly the opposite: narrowing your focus and standing for something you passionately believe in generates the power your brand needs to make a difference in the marketplace. You absolutely don’t want consumers to define your
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brand for you, as it may not end up where you want it and, as stated in the previous chapter, will most likely generate a disordered or confused persona: meaning different things to different audiences. Not a good thing.
So, before you start out - or really anytime you feel there’s a lack of clarity about your brand - take the time to express it in a simple, straightforward way.
While there are many techniques that help surface easy, but can be really challenging. We start by
asking these questions about your brand:
succeed.
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Answer these, and you’ll have the focus you need to
No. 1
that focus, the one we prefer sounds deceptively
“My favorite things in life don’t cost any money. It ’s really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time.”
No. 2
Getting to know your customers is a concerted, ongoing process of constantly speaking to them and learning not only what they think, but how
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No. 2
they feel about you. Whenever we hear a client say, generally with great conviction, “I know my customer,” our collective heart freezes, because, much too often, it’s related to their own less-than-objective perceptions, anecdotes from their sales people, or what the spouse or friend says. The truth is, you cannot truly build your business on hearsay and assumptions. So, we ask one simple question: When is the last time you talked to your customer? The answer to that question is how we learn exactly how well a client knows who their
customer is and why they’re buying their product.
When we ask clients if they’ve done research, far too often the answer to that question is either dated –informal surveys done years ago– or worse, the executives tell us they’ve been out talking to customers in the stores. The simple fact is, your customer should and must be the central focus of the driving force behind your inevitable success or unfortunate failure. You need to know all you possibly can about their wants, needs, –and especially– how they perceive your brand. The best way to know your customer is through proprietary consumer research. Often clients recoil when we bring up the need for research. We think it’s based
on two concerns: time and money. They believe any research will take too long
No. 2
everything you do as a company. They are the reason you’re in business, and
and cost too much. This just isn’t true, especially with the advent of online
But even more important, the reality is that, without truly knowing your customer, there can be no greater waste of a company’s time and money than
marketing without current and relevant consumer insights.
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quantitative surveys that are easy and relatively inexpensive to field.
Rather than marketing, you’re really only guessing. If your budget is too limited for proprietary research, we recommend finding secondary studies that have already been done that will help provide the perspective you need to make smart decisions. There’s also
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No. 2
online dialogue on social media that may be relevant. Certainly, Google can be your best friend, including reviewing how your competitors position themselves and the way they present themselves to their audience. There’s much you can learn by seeing what they do and, as a result, doing it better. What is key after you launch and start to mature as a brand, is if and how your customers’ perceptions about you have changed in some way. If they have, are you comfortable with where they are now?
This is especially relevant in our instant social media world, especially if your brand has taken an action that might be misperceived or is subject to rumors or innuendo that impact how people see you. Knowing any shifts in perception allow you to address them in a timely, informed way.
No. 3
Many of our employees have worked with and for dozens of companies in their careers, from the largest global entities to the smallest start ups and, without a doubt, the two greatest obstacles to success remain the same: 1) A lack of internal agreement on the company vision, and,
No. 3
2) Aligning that internal vision with the external customer wants, needs, and perceptions. We’ve found these challenges can exist in any size company, but can be a particular obstacle in the early stages, when a small band of passionate
believers may not agree as often as they think they do. If not addressed, this can lead to a splintering of effort and focus that can seriously harm the brand’s potential. So, get with your team and discover if every key decision-maker and brand
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influencer is on the same page in terms of the brand, goals, and aspirations.
Oftentimes one person that may exert undue influence may have a different view from others on the team but be reluctant to make this known. If that is the case, we recommend using an outside mediator, these different viewpoints must be surfaced, addressed, and resolved into a singular point of view that is not only agreed upon, but believed and supported.
Unity really is strength.
At Canna Ventures, our client relationships usually begin with what we call the Brand Platform process, which consists of three steps: 1) Internal Platform: in which we ensure all key decision-makers and 2) External Platform: where we seek out existing customers’ and potential prospects’ perceptions of the brand; 3) Final Platform: in which we align the internal and external Platforms into a final Brand Platform document Once the internal perspective is clarified, you need to learn if it is aligned with your target market’s wants, needs and perceptions. If you learn your internal position is not aligned with what your customers wants, you need to take a
No. 3
influencers are on the same page (often more difficult than you think);
good, hard look at your offering and consider how to make it more appealing
In the end, aligning the internal vision to the customer wants and needs helps ensure a solid foundation for brand success.
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to them.
No. 4
A brand is all about cues, which are the signals it sends every time a consumer comes in contact with it, wherever that might be. I’ve learned that people are in a continual process of reading what your brand is saying about itself, from the logo, packaging and
No. 4
website, to the advertising, sales and promotional materials. Each time, they interpret the signal in a way that either confirms and deepens their existing brand perceptions, or makes them question if and how the brand is changing and what it now stands for. I once worked with Saul Bass, the graphic designer many credit with founding the corporate identity
industry. Whenever we had a new client – and they were often global or multi-divisional – we’d hold the
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first meeting in a large hall. On over-sized boards
arrayed throughout the room, we’d display every logo, piece of stationary, ad, promotional material and signage of the company, from every country, from every division.
Almost without fail, the client would wander around the room, open-minded, stunned at all the different, conflicting and sometimes contradictory looks of their company. And we’d simply ask: what is your company trying to convey about itself, and is it
So regardless of what stage your company or product is in, always review what message each brand contact point communicates to the viewer,
whether consumer, distributor or vendor, and ask yourself if:
a) There’s a singular message being communicated each time, and
other or not? Remember, it’s the consistency of message, look and feel that is the hallmark of the most successful brands.
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b) Are they working synergistically with each
No. 4
working?
“Making promises and keeping them is a great way to build a brand.�
While the brain may explain a purchase rationally, it’s the
heart that controls the wallet. It’s a circular effect: when customers feel emotionally positive about a brand, they
No. 5
intuitively trust it, and trust is the reason brands exist. Every action you take, and every word you speak, should go towards deepening and enriching the emotional
connection between your brand and your customers. And that is about much more than simply selling a brand, but helping define and create the type of world that you and your customers believe in. Make no mistake, the way in which you bridge the gap between your product and your consumer base is the
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most important decision you’ll make. The deeper the emotional attachment the consumer has for your brand, the greater your brand’s ability to weather challenges, changes or new competitors. Your brand not only has a role in their life, you actually help define the sort of life they aspire to live and person they hope to be.
For example, are you contributing a portion of your sales to those causes that help people know what you stand for? Do you hire personnel or select vendors in a way that raises the quality of living for those vendors and helps ensure better lives?
delivers, it’s essential that you clarify how you want people to feel about you. The emotional connection is that link to your consumer that endears your brand to them, and overcomes short-term problems or hiccups that may derail other companies. Brands that are built in the heart are the ones that endure.
The emotional connection can be inherent in the product itself,
No. 5
So beyond determining the features and benefits your product
or felt by how you look or communicate with your audience.
connection is through what you do as a company that reveals the way you conduct business, or your set of values and what you consider to be of true importance in life. In truth, your
brand should be more than selling something to make a profit.
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Another increasingly important way to establish that emotional
“ M a s s a d v e r t i s i n g c a n h e l p b u i l d b ra n d s , b u t a u t h e n t i c i t y i s w h a t m a ke s t h e m l a s t . I f p e o p l e b e l i ev e t h ey s h a re v a l u e s w i t h a c o m p a n y, t h ey w i l l s t a y l oy a l t o t h e b ra n d . ”
In its simplest terms, marketing is the communication bridge between your target audience and your brand. So once you’ve taken the critical first steps in building a strong canna brand, you then need to determine how you want to engage with your target market. Your marketing strategy should consist of these four key components: Audience, Message, Creative, and Media
MARKETING STRATEGY
& It’s impossible to have a conversation with anyone if you don’t know who they are, what they’re like, and
what they want to talk about, so it’s critical you spend time clearly identifying and learning about your target audience.
There are important questions about your audience you need to answer right away. First, of course is: who is your primary target market? Demographics are a start, but what is their mindset about canna and the products or services you offer? What do they need — the product must-haves that you must deliver to even be in the game, and then, what do they want that they may not be currently getting and that gives you a point of difference. Another factor to help in your strategy is to know what competitive products or services they currently use and how yours are better. I’ve mentioned in previous chapters that proprietary research is
the best way to answer these questions about your audience so you can make truly informed decisions. But if you can’t fully fund your own research, look for relevant secondary studies that
are available. There is no greater waste of marketing dollars than not knowing your audience. You simply can’t afford to guess.
MARKETING STRATEGY
Once you have your message strategy in place, there are virtually unlimited ways to tell it from a creative standpoint. Since it’s incredibly difficult to bring
objectivity to a subjective subject like creativity, the strategy you wrote for the message can be used for creative development by adding a few points:
What is the communication trying to do? What goal do we have for the communication? Are we introducing our brand? Are we trying to get people to switch from the current brand they’re using? In other words, what end effect do
we want to see with our communication? What should the brand attitude be? People want to do business with brands that
match how they see themselves or aspire to be, and your brand should reflect that. Is it about confidence, strength, humor, edgy or traditional? These decisions help establish the emotional role your brand will play in your customers’ lives. Let us flesh out that last point a bit more: your brand communications should operate on two levels: the rationale, expressed by the product features and benefits, and the emotional, which is how you want people to feel about your brand. Remember, it is the strength of the emotional link to your brand that truly establishes long-term viability. Once the strategy is finalized, your creative can take any shape you like, as long as it is on strategy and delivers your approved message. In the end, select the creative direction you feel is most aligned with your strategy in telling your brand story in the most interesting and emotionally compelling way.
MARKETING STRATEGY
It’s deceptively simple, really. Your message needs to be wherever your target audience is, as long as you can afford it, and your choice of media is another illustration of how well you need to know your market.
The more of their media habits you know, the more likely you’ll be seen by your audience when they’re most receptive to your message. And remember, it’s multiple exposures to your message that moves your market through the purchase funnel, from awareness, to familiarity, to preference, trial, and repeat purchase.
The decisions you make starting off as a company are not only the most challenging, but also the most important in determining your ultimate chance of success. In particular, the most important decision you can make is: What do you stand for? We like to call this the mother lode question: Every other decision you’ll make about your company and brand flow out of your answer to this one. And it’s critical you not make this in a vacuum – there’s legwork involved! You need to get out and talk to your target market and check out the competition with the following goals in mind:
Target Market: who’s your target consumer and what do they want from the category in which you compete? You need to understand what’s most important to them when they choose cannabis products, and how your brand strengths will be perceived.
Competition: Who are your direct competitors and what do they stand for? You can make that determination by researching how they market themselves. Certainly when you talk to consumers, get their perspectives of each competitor’s strengths and weaknesses, as most likely your sales will be taken from them.
So, in the final analysis, when you arrive at what you stand for – which is the essence of your brand – you need to objectively answer the following questions:
A brand is, after all, a promise, and this is the promise you make that your market depends upon every time they buy and experience your brand.
Good luck and we wish you much success!
All Photos via Unsplash.com
Mike Jaglois
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Mike, the oldest and shortest of seven children, has had a long and checkered career, taking him from Detroit to Chicago to Los Angles to, finally and thankfully, Seattle. After graduating from Michigan State and MBA studies at Wayne State, Mike began his career in account management, working on the esteemed Lincoln-Mercury. Shortly after, he moved to the West Coast to work at ad agencies like Chiat/Day and McCann-Erickson (yes, the same one from Mad Men), becoming General Manager of Seattle’s BP&N when it was named most creative agency in the country by the 4As.
Mike has worked on an impressive line of accounts, from The Dial Corporation to McDonalds, to Washington Mutual. When he created his own ad agency, he worked with Pendleton, Southwest Windpower and Banner Bank. While working with Saul Bass, Mike ran the global assignment for Pepsi Cola, traveling around the world to understand how the brand remained consistent in markets from Mexico City to Montreal, London and New York. And while name dropping is always impressive, Mike’s favorite part of the job is “the moment of truth”, when the company management team defines what they stand for in a way that aligns internal aspirations and outside consumer marketplace reality. That “ah-ha” moment is Mike’s happy place.
Mike has run marketing operations for two high growth companies: Garden Botanika and drugstore.com, but he still struggles with his guitar playing and golf game. He hopes to rectify the latter in the very near future. While Mike is proud of many of his accomplishments, he is most proud of his ability to tell each client – because of his background and experience – that he’s been exactly where they are right now, and truly understands the challenges they face. He wants clients to succeed as much as he has.
Our approach is to begin our engagement by helping you define what you stand for as a company where you want to go. Key performance indicators are set to help us assess our progress. And because we are a data driven company, all decisions are made with supporting data. It’s often the creative services that are most memorable to audiences. To appeal to the audience the creative mix needs to hit on all cylinders. From logo development to package design to copywriting and visuals, creative services bring brands to life.
Contact us at info@canna-ventures.com to schedule a free consultation and find out how we can help you grow your cannabis business.
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Canna Ventures utilizes a mix of in-house talent, specialists, and partners to execute any creative idea regardless of format. Creative services span nearly all facets of an engagement.
Canna Ventures
Canna Ventures is a full service branding and marketing firm. We are a team of seasoned marketers, researchers, and developers supported by an award-winning creative team. We rely on research, data and our collective experiences to drive your success.
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