Hi all, I’m Jared Mirsky the CEO and Founder of the OMD Agency, a cannabis-focused branding agency with over 8 years of brand building experience.
I’d love to offer free advice to those who have questions with their branding and marketing needs.
Feel free to check out my company and our work at http://omdagency.com/
A friend of mine sent me this article about marijuana potentially becoming the “Luxury Industry’s Next Big Opportunity.”
What do you think the landscape of cannabis retail and merchadising will be like say 3 years from now? Along the same lines, how do you envision the market segmenting itself (customer segments)?
Hey Nate,
Great question.
I believe it will be much different. Consumers are already walking into recreational retail stores asking for products based on a specific way they want to feel vs a particular strain. You will start to see a lot more products position themselves as less strain specific and more “feel” based. For example: Indica = Nightime, Sativa = Uplifting and Hybrid = Chill or Balance.
As medical states fade into the recreational market and slowly adopt medical back into their system, like Washington state, you’ll notice that successful cultivators are beginning to focus on building brands that cater to both demographics but still represent themselves as a recreational product.
Does that at all answer your question?
Yes, thanks for your answer. I agree with you in terms of people shopping for "effect’ over any other one characteristic. I think the Indica = Nightime, Sativa = Uplifting and Hybrid = Chill or Balance is good foundation, but over time smart companies will dial this down into 20 different effect profiles. Along with this, I believe consistency will be big for brands that want longevity.
I believe people want to see the effects clearly labeled on their packaging. I’m not sure if leafly is doing this yet, but they should license out their strain profiles as a sort of authentic stamp/sticker you put on products with information with regard to effect.
Pretty slick video on your main page. I like it.
I wonder – do you think naming conventions will change? Or classification conventions? Your average consumer may not understand all the different names and derivations, and would simply prefer to feel a certain way.
Hi Hunter,
You bring up a great question. I don’t think either will change.
The methods of branding and naming are still the same. However, it’s up to us, you and everyone else in the industry who’s selling consumer-facing products to be aware of the fact that a majority of the population are still very uneducated when it comes to cannabis. We need to make sure we are constantly educating people in lamens terms and less technical wording.
Remember, cannabis is really no different than wine or craft beer and it’s my job to make sure it looks good and helps my clients receive the best ROI.
[quote=“OMDagency, post:6, topic:779, full:true”]Remember, cannabis is really no different than wine or craft beer and it’s my job to make sure it looks good and helps my clients receive the best ROI.
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That is a very apt comparison now that you mention it. I really don’t know the difference between a champagne, a bubbly, or a spumante, just that they’re different. I know the difference between red and white, and that’s about it.
This article is probably pretty appropriate… (in fact already posted but not linked)
Cannabis is about to hit a huge market of non-stoners and potheads. Consumers who want results and aspirational dreams fulfilled, not strains and heritages and weed geek stoner talk. .
It’s a brave new world in Cannabis. But it takes a lot more to build a Cannabis business than growing some kick ass weed.
Regarding the naming, strains and the “uneducated” masses…
When someone crosses two varieties and gets a hybrid, and call it some goofy name, thats NOT A STRAIN, thats a mutation or I" got lucky"…produce that for 5 years straight, back cross it and make genetics…then you have a reliable strain, not a mistake.
That being said, there are about 50 main genetic strains and those have a history and people fully understand the profiles, and the effects of those. My point is , as so called new “strains” become marketed and advertised, those advertising /marketing agencies will look for every bit of adjective and hype copy available and promote all these esoteric “features” when its not really quantifiable, there is no medical consistency and it becomes like craft beers!…a myriad of confusion over what your getting and left to Ad Agencies trying to capitalize on this industry and stating its the “same as craft cheese” is the typical “widget mentality” that most established or “converted” advertising and marketing groups have and even less deep domain knowledge of the plant, people and industry…and thats all before big pharma gets into it. (not saying you)
No I fear the education the masses will get will be like the millennial s and their "news and media "groups, all fluff, hype and tiny soundbits of mis information…all in the name of "SALES’ and clients.
We should understand and have a position of higher morals because we all know what the liquor industry has done and become, and how blatant the Pharma industry is with its intent to capitalize, (which is all the newbies) can see-$$$
Try walking into and talking to someone with cancer or any of the extreme illnesses that this plant can help with. Make an effort to be a helpful and a guardian of the course this product takes and not just capitalistic opportunist who just sees money…
I say this to the new entrants into this field…."there where a lot of people who broke the ground before you, fount the fight, and championed the sick, how about we do some good instead of just “Trumping Out” on the cash opportunities, ….for a difference….for a change.
[quote=“Charlie, post:9, topic:779, full:true”]When someone crosses two varieties and gets a hybrid, and call it some goofy name, thats NOT A STRAIN, thats a mutation or I" got lucky"…produce that for 5 years straight, back cross it and make genetics…then you have a reliable strain, not a mistake.
[/quote]
Technically there’s no such thing in the biological sciences as a strain (or even cultivar). Scientists are even fuzzy on the subspecies concept. Dogs can still breed with wolves (although for some it’s physically impractical).
Strains/cultivars/breeds are a purely human concept. A lucky cross that’s been cloned multiple times isn’t a mistake, it’s an asexually propagated cultivar, like a Cavendish banana.
I think breeds are more than just a human concept - there is a LOT of difference between a great dane and a pug. Sure they can breed together - but they are two very distinct mixes of the canine gene pool.
But agreed - something that is only propogated via cloning (like many of the hip ‘strains’) is nothing other than a mutant fluke and until it is stable for generations and throws only a few primary phenotypes - then maybe…
Both “breeds” are inbred pretty badly. All the genes in both Great Danes and Pugs come from the gray wolf, which has the greatest genetic diversity.
I concur just like Indica and Sativa are not really two different strains, …and all the variations are “varietal” As I am not a horticulturist. I do hate to see opportunistic type people/businesses that are only in it for the money…greed is a very dangerous disease. I am exteremly bias as a cancer patient and a provider of RSHO I have personally witnessed the cure and arrest of many stage 3-4 cancers and many other illnesses of all types and want to help get this to the people who need it and benefit from it. To all the “widget” sales people" I say. Walk a mile in a stage four cancer patients world, and then see how greedy you are…the relief that this provides is a God Sent thing.
Prayers and hope to all the afflicted.Cg
