New York Cannabis Market

The New York Cannabis Industry is taking off as the state grants several licenses to new growers and as dispensaries are starting to open their doors. We are excited to see this market take off and work with more and more New York based cannabis clients, leaving us eager to share some tips that may help you find your unique position in this growing new space.

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Positioning + Strategy

It seems enticing to simply "open" up shop and dive right into this new marketplace so that you can be the first to the gate but as we have seen in other states, jumping the gun without a foundational grasp on who you are as a business, who your target audience is, and your go-to market strategy can leave your new business in the dust as others emerge, gaining the trust of the new cannabis consumer in NYC. So what can you do to better understand your position in the market? We love to start with a strategy session that guides who you are talking to, their interests, their purchasing behavior and so on. Smart businesses have to be so much more than great weed these days, you have to know the best strategy to reach that consumer, understanding what products they would purchase and honing in on your UVP or Unique Value Proposition, in other words, what makes your cannabis brand different from every other out there and why should your consumer purchase it? Yes we know you have a great product but how do you convey that with your brand? Where there are so many packaging restrictions out there for the cannabis industry, how do you tell your story through creative. That is where a great branding strategy comes into the picture. We work with many clients in the space and some brand new ones in the New York market and one thing they have in common is an understanding of not only the importance but the value in brand strategy and positioning.

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Brand Visuals+ Packaging

The New York regulations on packaging has our heads spinning as rules change, compliance info is constantly being updated and feels all over the place but we have narrowed down a few key points to take note of if you are gearing up to launch your own brand and are designing packaging on your own. First, your logo and packaging can't depict any illustrations of animals or anything that would appeal to children. Second, no neon colors (ugh, that breaks our heart!). Third, no fonts that are "bubble" style or cartoon-like. Fourth, your branding and packaging cannot imitate candy, soda, cereal etc. And the list goes on....So where does that leave you in terms of creative visuals? It means that packaging must speak volumes through supporting materials like messaging, taglines, vibe/aesthetics and leave out anything that can possibly appeal to anyone under the age of 21+ which is a very challenging task! If you find yourself stuck, feel free to reach out to us, we love chatting about new projects.

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We are here to help! 

We totally understand, it is fun to launch your own business and so much fun (well, at least we think so!) in creating your new logo, packaging, IG posts but when you are navigating tricky waters like the cannabis industry and then on top of that, trying to navigate New York states cannabis regulations, it can leave you feeling lost or confused on exactly what you CAN share visually and we are here to help. We work with growers emerging from the legacy market and branding themselves. We work with dispensaries on their retail interior design, new brands on their logos, packaging etc. We are a team dedicated to helping you succeed in this crazy market so please feel free to drop us a line and set up a free discovery call! 

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