THE 14 CANNABIS BRAND ARCHETYPES By David Paleschuck, MBA, CLS

With over 25 years of brand-building and consumer marketing experience
serving American Express, MasterCard, PepsiCo and Microsoft — and over
eight years in the legal cannabis industry as VP, Licensing & Brand
Partnerships at Dope Magazine; Chief Brand Officer at Evergreen Herbal and
Chief Brand Architect at The Matters Group — David Paleschuck has played a
part in creating many of today’s well-known cannabis brands. In his new
book, Branding Bud: The Commercialization of Cannabis he examines the
commercialization of cannabis and offers best practices in branding and
marketing. Here Paleschuck applies his expertise towards understanding
brand archetypes.
[image: 14-CANNA-BRAND-ARCHETYPES.png] *The 14 Cannabis Brand Archetypes*

Brand archetypes categorize universal patterns we intuitively know; helping
us to quickly understand a brand’s point of view. And as such, they are an
effective marketing “short-cut” embodying common elements. Applying these
elements to a brand, helps potential customers identify and understand it –
instantly. While all brands are bound to play within the rules and
regulations of their respective states and municipalities, they must seek
creative ways to make the laws work best for their businesses and more
effectively than their competitors in order to succeed.

The number one critical success factor is consistency. A readily available
product with a consistent look, feel, dose and flavor is crucial. While
consistency might sound inflexible, it is not meant to be. Through
consistency, one can better chart a brand roadmap that’s in line and suits
the customer’s needs. The cannabis sector is forever shifting. The fewer
moving parts in the equation, the easier it is to contain and control the
variables.

Calling out specific attributes is difficult as canna-products cross a
wide range of form factors, demographics and usage scenarios. Why do we
expect to see cannabis-infused edibles packaged like other baked goods and
candies? Or cannabis-infused transdermal patches packaged like Band Aids®?
Or cannabis-infused sublingual slips packaged like Listerine® breath
strips?
[image: kinslips.jpg]

The answer is: We have pre-conceived notions about brands and their
products; how they’re packaged and under what circumstances we use them. A
child-resistant cap or tamper-proof package immediately puts us at ease and
makes us feel assured about our safety and consumption.

Brands and color are inextricably linked because color offers an
instantaneous method for conveying meaning and message without words. Color
is the visual component people remember most about a brand followed closely
by shapes, symbols, numbers, and finally words.

In a world where appropriation and mash-ups abound, it’s no surprise that
brand archetypes often overlap and are not mutually exclusive. Meaning,
many brands span one or more archetype categories.
[image: Blaze.jpg] *THE FOLLOWING REPRESENTS THE FOURTEEN MOST PROMINENT
CANNABIS BRAND ARCHETYPES:*

*1. COUNTER-CULTURE*

Counter-culture brands are those brands that serve consumers who often
define themselves and their activities through rebellion (i.e. not
belonging to a certain group) counter cultures simply ‘feed the flames’ of
consumer culture by creating a whole new set of goods for ‘rebel consumers’.

*2. NOSTALGIC*

Research shows that nostalgia gives our lives a sense of continuity and
meaning as we get older. As we age, we all develop fond memories of our
younger days, from the food we ate, to the games we played, to the music we
listened to. It’s no surprise many cannabis brands use nostalgia as a brand
pillar.
[image: properchocolate.jpg]

*3. NOVELTY*

When a consumer encounters a novel image tied to a brand, they are driven
to learn more about it. They compare it to existing information: is it new
and how does it fit into what they already know? Novelty is a powerful
tool; but, it’s also a dangerous one. The key to using novelty to attract
interest, is to make sure it’s a new expression of something the brand
always stood for. A great example of a novelty brand is “Impeachmints”
manufactured by Evergreen Herbal.

*4. FOODIE*

Understanding how farm and food relate is essential for marketing to this
sought-after demographic. Marketing to Foodies requires staying up to date
on the latest trends across the food world. Given the increased importance
everyone is placing on food, marketers would be wise to stay current. With
the interconnectedness of food culture to almost everything, the
relationship with cannabis is clear.
[image: salted.jpg]

*5. REGIONAL*

A regional brand reflects the culture and qualities of a particular
appellation or terroir. Examples of cannabis strains boasting their
geographic origin include Maui Wowie, Durban Poison, Acapulco Gold and
Humboldt OG, to name a few. That said, it’s no surprise that many brands
seek to capture and leverage these nuanced, regional, and cultural
qualities into their brands.

*6. HEALTH & WELLNESS*

Health and wellness brands have honed their messages putting customer’s
well-being front and center. They typically focus on product quality,
efficacy, benefits, and an overall balanced lifestyle. Successful brands in
the health and wellness space do best when they provide their customers
with aspirational content, as well as easy access to information and tools
that allow them to embrace a healthy lifestyle.

*7. CELEBRITY*

Celebrity branding is a marketing strategy used by leveraging the
celebrity’s social status or fame to help promote a product or service.
Brands use celebrities in hopes that the persona and image of the celebrity
will be passed on to the product(s) and/or the brand associated with the
celebrity.

*8. PROHIBITION *

Prohibition refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in
barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption
of alcoholic beverages. The word is also used to refer to a period of time
during which such bans are enforced. Today, many cannabis brands are
connecting the concept of alcohol prohibition to cannabis legalization.
Examples of these prohibition brands include Zoots and Lowell Herb Co.
among others.

*9. ART & DESIGN*

The relationship between art and commerce has always been filled with
anxiety. The diminishing impact of traditional advertising has caused
brands to seek new ways to capture the attention of consumers. Artists and
the art market have taught us how valuable a brand can become by leveraging
art and artists. Seattle-based Saints Joints is a perfect example of a
cannabis brand working with artists to create collectible, limited edition
box packaging.
[image: saint_joints.jpg]

*10. GENDER FOCUSED *

While statistics tell us the majority of cannabis consumers are male, the
female and LGBTQ segments are an under-developed opportunity — possibly the
number one opportunity for those who understand how sexuality, gender, and
political perspective resonate in this segment. While many have tried to
“pink it & shrink it”, we certainly know that strategy hasn’t worked for
brands outside of the cannabis industry.

*11. VALUE*

A "budget brand" is a brand whose major selling point is its low price
and/or value offering. Often, but not always; that may mean lower quality.
Since COVID-19, there has been an increase in larger, pre-packaged product
offerings, such as pre-ground flower in pouches – rolling papers included.

*12. CANNABIS CULTIVATOR *

Cultivator brands have taken off with the interest and development in
strains, terpenes, and cannabinoids. Cookies is a perfect example of how a
brand can grow from strain genetics. Well-known cultivators and cultivator
brands include Sherbinskis, Cookies, Exotics, and Ed Rosenthal, among
others.

*13. LUXURY*

Luxury cannabis brands are those that comprise associations of high price,
high quality, beauty, rarity, and perhaps, even a degree of
non-functionality. One of the best examples of a cannabis luxury brand is
the Leira Cannagar, called out by Forbes Magazine as a “gourmet
ultra-luxury cannagar.”
[image: schoko.jpg]

*14. CHARITY | SOCIAL JUSTICE*

People’s willingness to devote their loyalty and money to a cause is
directly influenced by the positive connection they have with a brand. The
right image, personality, and tone of voice create an identity that your
customers (and donors) can relate to, which leads to more sales and better
fundraising. A great example of a cannabis charity brand is California’s
GIVE.

*SUMMARY *

How consumers attach themselves to a brand is based on the brand’s ability
to tell its story to its customer. A health and wellness brand should not
brand and market its product in the same way a recreational brand focused
on rebellion would. Different customer segments demand different products,
whether real or perceived. It behooves brands to creatively leverage the
most recognizable brand archetype elements in order to effectively and
efficiently convey who they are and what they stand for. It’s those brands
that best differentiate and communicate, that will be recognized and
rewarded.

*To learn more about the commercialization of cannabis visit *
*brandingbud.com*
[image: Outlook-wr0z2rdh.jpg]

“The first book of its kind to offer solid best practices in branding and
marketing to an industry in dire need of them…. A fascinating overview of
an estimated multibillion-dollar sector whose long and complicated history
dates back to when forefathers George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew
hemp.”
*—Iris Dorbian, **Forbes.com*