How Cannabis Retailers Are Diversifying Marketing for Growth

We are witnessing the cannabis marketing playbook being written in real
time. Between platform bans, shifting algorithms, and saturation, retailers
must become ever more creative with their efforts. A strategy that’s
emerging as most effective amid the current evolution requires blending
community engagement, experiential marketing, influencers, public relations
(PR), and digital strategy into a multichannel engine that delivers results.

Retailers leading the marketing evolution aren’t relying on a single
marketing lever. They’re creating dynamic ecosystems where offline events
build emotional loyalty, and online tools convert that attention into
action. Here are some examples.
Cultivate community

For many retailers, the most effective way to connect with customers starts
with showing up for them in authentic, localized ways. Across the country,
retailers are developing innovative measures to cultivate community and
give back to their local markets.

Multistate operator Bud & Mary’s has made the community philosophy central
to its identity. With stores in Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, and
Missouri, the retailer prioritizes initiatives that feel organic to the
communities its dispensaries serve. The brand’s AWARE-N-US program sponsors
local charitable events and collaborates with nonprofits on product
partnerships, while in-person educational events create opportunities for
connection and learning. “We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all marketing,”
said Vice President of Marketing Rebecca Maestas Sincere. “Whether it’s a
partnership or a program, it has to feel real to the people we serve, and
that’s what makes it stick.”
[image: Gelato Canna Co. team members distributing meals and beverages as
part of a community outreach event in Southern California.] Gelato Canna
Co.

Gelato Canna Co., an edibles brand and retailer, has built a reputation for
generosity. Each year, the Gelato team distributes hundreds of turkeys
during Thanksgiving week. Recipients need not make a purchase at the
brand’s Lake Elsinore, California, dispensary to receive a turkey, which
demonstrates Gelato’s commitment to the community. Additionally, the
company participates in year-round giveback initiatives, including
distributing canned water during the fires that swept through Los Angeles
in 2025 and providing meals for the unhoused in the greater San Diego area.
In turn, the brand’s philanthropy inspires loyalty among local consumers.

For The Artist Tree, a chain of art galleries that are also dispensaries,
community interaction is based in creativity and caring. When wildfires
destroyed chunks of the Los Angeles area in January, the ten The Artist
Tree locations raised thousands of dollars for relief operations and
coordinated supply drives. When the company opened its second retail
location in Fresno, California, the team collected school supplies and
funded the creation of two murals in the city. The latter action beautified
neighborhoods while supporting local artists. The Artist Tree has continued
to grow while much of the industry has slowed, a trend co-founder Lauren
Fontein attributes to the trust and affinity built through consistently
giving back to the communities the dispensaries serve.

Deep Roots Harvest, one of Nevada’s largest operators, takes a year-round
approach to relationship-building. Through a series of events tied to
holidays, product launches, and community partnerships, the dispensary
chain creates opportunities for staff to connect with customers outside the
usual sales transaction. Deep Roots and sister retailer The Source have
embedded giving into their corporate culture, contributing more than $1
million to local organizations over the past decade. Chief Operating
Officer Jon Marshall observed, “Our community-focused marketing efforts
help Nevadans feel at home in our stores, and they help make stronger
connections between our team and their customers.”

*Takeaway:* Giving back should be a core part of every retailer’s marketing
efforts. Philanthropy strengthens consumer trust, helps build community,
and leaves a lasting impression.
Events, events, events

Discounts may bring people in once, but experiences encourage them to
return. Leading retailers are leaning heavily into events and experiences
to deepen connections with customers and community. From hosting their own
events to sponsoring or participating in mainstream goings-on, retailers
are showing up in uncommon ways.

Embarc has mastered the art of experience-led marketing. The company’s
recurring presence at mainstream events like the California State Fair and
Outside Lands has helped normalize cannabis for broader audiences by
blending sales and consumption into cultural moments. Embarc’s involvement
with events in the seventeen California communities in which it operates
dispensaries has resulted in notable media coverage, social media
shoutouts, and community buzz. The chain’s Passport Club loyalty program
extends that involvement by rewarding customers with access to popular
events. From VIP concert tickets to farm tours, the prizes available to
members not only differentiate Embarc but also create stories customers
share. According to Chief Brand and Marketing Officer Courtney Zalewski,
“We’re trying to go beyond transactions and create moments people remember
long after their pre-roll is done.”

By using its consumption lounges as hubs for art shows, live music,
community fundraisers, and educational tastings including a unique “hash
flight” experience, The Artist Tree similarly has built a large portion of
its reputation around events. The happenings often serve as a first
touchpoint for new customers; for existing shoppers, they deepen brand
loyalty. The dispensary chain’s key performance indicators include more
than sales and foot-traffic metrics, according to Marketing Director
Adriana Hemans. “We look at whether guests stayed longer than expected,
came back the next weekend, or told friends about the art they saw,” she
said. “That’s the kind of impact we are after—brand affinity that sticks
around long after the event ends.” Hemans attributes The Artist Tree’s
consistently high number of returning customers, social-media influencer
mentions, and local press coverage to the dispensaries’ unique event
offerings.
[image: Performer engaging the crowd during Mango Del Sol, Mango Cannabis’s
large-scale concert event in Sunland Park, New Mexico.] Mango Del Sol

Mango Cannabis demonstrated the power of events with its Mango Del Sol
concert celebration, which attracted more than 10,000 attendees to the
multistate operator’s new Sunland Park, New Mexico, dispensary in June.
Mango’s team spent months developing the concert. During the week of Mango
Del Sol, the company’s Instagram audience increased by nearly 2,000
followers after receiving social-media mentions by attendees, talent, and
locals. Instagram monthly impressions also grew significantly, which the
team attributed to the concert. In addition to increasing online
visibility, the retailer experienced a 5-percent increase in sales at the
New Mexico store the day of the event, indicating community-driven events
can lead to measurable results.

Even further outside the usual event envelope, Sweet Flower has targeted
the wellness community by partnering with a monthly sound bath series. The
California retail chain provides each sound bath participant a $25 gift
card, thereby introducing the dispensary brand to a new audience in an
environment naturally aligned with Sweet Flower’s holistic health
messaging. In addition to visiting the dispensary to redeem the gift cards,
some attendees have posted on social media about the retailer, which helped
Sweet Flower gain new followers.

*Takeaway:* If your company is interested in connecting with new audiences,
try integrating into and hosting events. If the event scene isn’t strong in
your region, produce your own community-centric event.
Digital marketing

All of these community and experiential moments become exponentially more
powerful when integrated with a smart digital strategy. Digital marketing
agencies that work with the cannabis industry report retailers are shifting
away from fragmented, one-off marketing tactics toward integrated
multichannel programs.

According to Cannabis Creative Group, top-performing digital tactics for
cannabis retailers include email and SMS marketing for conversion and
retention, localized search engine optimization to boost “dispensary near
me” visibility in competitive markets, and amplifying offline efforts with
online buzz. Creating campaigns that integrate marketing across all
platforms—including local and national press, owned channels like websites
and blogs, and social media—creates a seamless connection between in-person
experiences and digital engagement, which helps round out a meaningful
marketing campaign and may extend brand recognition long after the campaign
is over. Digital chatter can increase visibility and searchability, which
in turn helps drive new customers to your location(s).

It’s important to remember that return on investment is measured not only
by numbers on a spreadsheet but also in trust earned, stories shared,
moments experienced, and customer loyalty. In a competitive market, how do
you want your dispensary to be remembered?
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Cannabis Marketing Q&A: Strategies That Work

1. What is the most effective cannabis marketing strategy today?

The most effective cannabis marketing combines community engagement,
experiential events, and digital tactics into one integrated program.
2. How can cannabis retailers build customer loyalty?

Retailers build loyalty by giving back to their communities, hosting
memorable events, and rewarding repeat customers through loyalty programs.
3. Why are events important for cannabis marketing?

Events help retailers connect with new audiences, strengthen community
ties, and create experiences that keep customers coming back.
4. How can digital marketing support cannabis retailers?

Digital tools like SEO, email, SMS, and social media amplify offline
efforts, boost visibility, and extend the reach of community-driven
campaigns.

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[image: Alice Moon KMA Cannabis]

A Los Angeles-based entrepreneur with fourteen years of experience in the
cannabis industry, *Alice Moon* works as a senior publicist at public
relations and marketing agency Kip Morrison & Associates. Green Market
Report named her to its “100 Most Important Women in Cannabis” list, and
she was among Marijuana Venture’s “40 Under 40” in 2023.