5 Cannabis Marketing Faux Pas To Avoid

The cannabis industry is on fire. With more and more competition coming to the industry, proper marketing is more important than ever before. Below we outline 5 cannabis marketing faux pas your marijuana business needs to avoid in order to succeed in the weed industry.

 

1. Never Market To Minors

This one seems obvious, but it’s so important we’ve decided to mention it anyway. As a cannabis company, it is absolutely vital you avoid marketing your products to minors. Hence, make sure you stray away from publishing any kind of marketing material featuring or targeting people who aren’t of legal age to buy cannabis in your area. Moreover, pay close attention to subtle details like the name of your products and their packaging, as well as the voice/tone of your brand to ensure you’re not targeting minors in more subtle ways.

 

Now, we don’t really expect any cannabis companies to openly target children with a specific ad campaign. One thing to keep a close eye on, however, especially in the cannabis sphere, is product names. There are a bunch of cannabis strains, for example, with names that could come under scrutiny for possibly appealing to kids. In fact, the Canadian government has hinted that it may restrict strains with names that could appeal to a younger audience. While it didn’t mention any specific strains, we can think of a few well-known strains that could come under scrutiny including Girl Scout Cookies, Candyland, Zkittles, Fruit Loops, and a handful of others.

 

2. Avoid Copyright Infringements

Copyright is really important in the cannabis industry. Just think of the number of strain names and edibles, for example, that reference movie names, fictional characters, or other brands.

 

Here are just a few strains that come to mind:

 

- Gorilla Glue, named after a US glue brand for its stickiness.
- Skywalker OG, named after everyone’s favorite Jedi.
- Optimus Prime, named after the famous Transformer.

 

For a long time, there was very little regulation of these strains and their names, mainly because cannabis was still illegal. But now that cannabis has developed into a legal billion-dollar industry, that’s sure to change. Make sure you’re ahead of the curve and avoid any copy infringements from the get-go.

 

3. Stray Away From The “Stoner” Cliche

The cannabis industry is evolving rapidly, attracting a much wider scope of people than ever before. As a cannabis company, you’ll want to make sure you embrace this change and make your brand appeal to a broad range of customers when thinking about cannabis marketing.

 

The best way to do this is to stray away from the stoner cliches and ditch the smiley stickers, Rasta flags, 420 jokes, etc. Instead, try to think more profoundly about your products and your ideal customer, and use that information to build a strong image for your brand (we’ll discuss branding later on).

 

One niche we’re seeing plenty of potential in, for example, is luxury cannabis products. Leafs by Snoop and Beboe are great examples of cannabis products targeting upmarket customers rather than Dorito-munching, Cheech-and-Chong-watching stoners.

 

4. Don’t Underestimate Cannabis Culture

Another super important part of proper cannabis marketing it to understand marijuana culture. Remember, cannabis use is about much more than getting high; it embodies an entire movement.

 

People stand behind cannabis for a multitude of reasons; for its medicinal value, its health benefits, or simply because it's a natural way to unwind. In order to be successful in the cannabis industry, you’ll need to embrace the vibrant culture around the cannabis plant and support it by attending events, spreading information, and more.

 

5. Have A Strong Brand Identity

Strong brand identity is key to success in any industry, and it’s no different for cannabis. If you plan to be successful in this industry, make sure you invest in building a strong, relatable cannabis brand.

 

Whether you grow organic flower in California or manufacture top-shelf vape equipment, make sure your brand embodies everything you and your customers stand for. If you’re struggling to do this, make sure you check out our services, specifically tailored to businesses.

 

The Easiest Way To Purchase Cannabis

 

At greenRush, the easiest way to purchase cannabis, we’re passionate about helping cannabis companies build strong brands and viable cannabis marketing channels. Combining the latest tech and a passion for cannabis, we’re proud to have launched the most powerful marketing engine in the industry.