How do you help a cannabis house of brands start a customer-first cannabis candy brand from the ground up?
Project Scope
• Market Research
• Brand Strategy
• Customer Journey Mapping
• Naming, Positioning & Taglines
• Brand Visual Identity
• Brand Style Guide
• Customer Journey Mapping
• Naming, Positioning & Taglines
• Brand Visual Identity
• Brand Style Guide
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CASE STUDY
About the Brand
Cannacraft, a famous cannabis house of brands decided to compete in the cannabis candy market and needed help with Brand personality & identity, purpose, and understanding the audience they wanted to reach.
Cannacraft, a famous cannabis house of brands decided to compete in the cannabis candy market and needed help with Brand personality & identity, purpose, and understanding the audience they wanted to reach.
The Challenge
To create a Brand from scratch: Form Factor, Naming & Brand Visual Identity, Messaging & Customer Journey mapping. The Brand needed to be jump started and articulated for the in-house team to rally and manifest the product. Most importantly their team needed to be part of the process and have a Brand and UX foundation from which to execute the subsequent phases. The goal was to define, reach alignment and execute with confidence.
To create a Brand from scratch: Form Factor, Naming & Brand Visual Identity, Messaging & Customer Journey mapping. The Brand needed to be jump started and articulated for the in-house team to rally and manifest the product. Most importantly their team needed to be part of the process and have a Brand and UX foundation from which to execute the subsequent phases. The goal was to define, reach alignment and execute with confidence.
Solution
Competitive Analysis to understand the market opportunities. Qualitative and Quantitative Market Research to better understand the target consumer, product receptiveness, cannabis usage and behavior. Brand Strategy to connect the data collected with striking designs and messaging to attract the desired audience.
Results
A well defined Brand personality with clear visual identity, messaging, marketing direction and purpose.
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Phase 1 - Competitive Analysis
My team and I evaluate direct and indirect competitors and category leaders in order to determine their strengths and weaknesses relative to those of the brand, identifying areas for opportunity and gaps within the market.
Phase 2 - Quantitative Survey
CONSUMER BRAND VALIDATION - Timing 1 week
Demo
• 50 cannabis consumers (ages 21-30), Mix of both male and female.
• Geography: Broad range of cities in California.
• Screeners: CA resident, experienced cannabis user, age 21-30 years old.
• Survey Activation: SurveyMonkey, Facebook, Instagram.
• Geography: Broad range of cities in California.
• Screeners: CA resident, experienced cannabis user, age 21-30 years old.
• Survey Activation: SurveyMonkey, Facebook, Instagram.
Purpose
Better understand the target consumer, product receptiveness, cannabis usage and behavior. Use other brand visuals and marketing to learn what attracts and endears these customers to specific brands. (mission, values, visuals, packaging, naming) to inform Brand Strategy and customer profile development.
Better understand the target consumer, product receptiveness, cannabis usage and behavior. Use other brand visuals and marketing to learn what attracts and endears these customers to specific brands. (mission, values, visuals, packaging, naming) to inform Brand Strategy and customer profile development.
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Survey Critical Insights
• Dosing: Prefers 10mg dosing or higher. Dosage is more important than flavor.
• Pain Point: Issue with gummies melting together, making dosing challenging.
• Buyer Behavior: Will not travel more than 30 miles to purchase from a specific dispensary.
• Visuals: Attracted to brands with bright colors and inventive marketing and packaging solutions.
• Packaging: Interested in individual use as well as multi-pack options.
• Dosing: Prefers 10mg dosing or higher. Dosage is more important than flavor.
• Pain Point: Issue with gummies melting together, making dosing challenging.
• Buyer Behavior: Will not travel more than 30 miles to purchase from a specific dispensary.
• Visuals: Attracted to brands with bright colors and inventive marketing and packaging solutions.
• Packaging: Interested in individual use as well as multi-pack options.
Phase 3 - Qualitative Focus Groups
CONSUMER RESEARCH - product development - Timing 2 weeks
Purpose
Gain knowledge from existing edible users to inform product team on preferred form factors, flavors, dosage, and packaging.
Gain knowledge from existing edible users to inform product team on preferred form factors, flavors, dosage, and packaging.
Demo
3 groups of 6 to 8 participants
Ages from 21 to 30years old
Mix of male/female
Experienced edible users
Focus Groups Insights
• Form Factors: Preference of gummies to other form factors (some interest in a starburst-like chew). Prefer sugar-coated gummies to uncoated (prevents sticking).
• Packaging: High concern for sustainable packaging. Likes reusable tins like Plus (many had ideas for repurposing).
• Flavor & Consistency: Smell is important. Prefers smaller-sized gummies (think many don’t taste good). High importance in consistency and moistness.
• Marketing & Branding: Likes the idea of jokes or fun facts in each package. High response to name and branding elements.
• Marketing & Branding: Likes the idea of jokes or fun facts in each package. High response to name and branding elements.
Phase 4 - Brand Strategy
USER PERSONA & BRAND ATTRIBUTES
User Persona
Motivations & Interests
This consumer is looking for freedom and self expression. They are excited by new experiences where they feel as if they are part of something larger than themselves and connected to a like-minded community.
This consumer is looking for freedom and self expression. They are excited by new experiences where they feel as if they are part of something larger than themselves and connected to a like-minded community.
Challenges
This consumer is plagued by a short attention span and a serious case of FOMO. Their need to discover the “next best thing” can lead to distraction, disconnection, loneliness and a deep fear of being seen as unoriginal.
This consumer is plagued by a short attention span and a serious case of FOMO. Their need to discover the “next best thing” can lead to distraction, disconnection, loneliness and a deep fear of being seen as unoriginal.
Solutions
• Ensure you are connecting with this consumer where they’re already hanging out (events, social media, blog, consumer involvement in product innovation).
• Promote a good time but also show them the ways you support the things they care about (the environment, self discovery, adventure).
• Most importantly, offer them a high-value product (illustrate the potency/cost benefit) and continue to innovate on flavors, and products, keeping them engaged and the brand top-of-mind.
• Ensure you are connecting with this consumer where they’re already hanging out (events, social media, blog, consumer involvement in product innovation).
• Promote a good time but also show them the ways you support the things they care about (the environment, self discovery, adventure).
• Most importantly, offer them a high-value product (illustrate the potency/cost benefit) and continue to innovate on flavors, and products, keeping them engaged and the brand top-of-mind.
Brand Attributes
Brand Positioning
The brand provides cannabis edibles to experimental customers, with a delightful aesthetic in an innovative environment with a lighthearted voice, helping them celebrate their youth and connect to a like-minded community.
Phase 5
BRAND IDENTITY DIRECTION & NAMING
After we learn in depth the targeted audience’s preferences and desired outcomes, we align it with the goals of the organization. Three visual brand directions was developed and tested against the market.
The direction preferred by the market:
Fun. Playful. A break from routine
Brand Direction Moodboard
BRAND PERSONALITY
Fun. Playful. A break from routine
NAME
Ganjies
NAME
Ganjies
TAG LINES
“Bite-sized dreams.”
“Sweet but twisted.”
“Sweet but twisted.”
Phase 6
BRAND DESIGN & STYLE GUIDE
