Once upon a time, not really that long ago, commerce was relatively simple: you made a product, people bought it and you made money. Sell more, manage costs and you could grow into a more substantial endeavor. Consumers based their purchase on product utility: did they need it and would they...
I'm finally off work, sufficiently exhausted and ready to enjoy a nice, relaxing night at home. I stop at the local grocery store to pick up a well-earned six pack that’s sure to help me unwind after a particularly stressful day. There isn’t a bartender there to help me. I don’t...
In its simplest terms, marketing is the communication bridge between your target audience and your brand. So once you’ve taken the critical first step and nailed down what you stand for as a brand, you then need to determine how you want to engage with your target market. This process of consumer engagement...
The leaves are changing, the temperature is dropping and the summer is officially ending. While many will pack up flag t-shirts, put away leftover fireworks and clean that deliciously-used BBQ, we’re asking that you carry one thing with you as you say goodbye to summer and everything associated with it. The...
Okay, it’s time for your cannabis business’s digital marketing program to get serious. Hopefully, you already have Google Analytics installed on your cannabis website. Unfortunately in 9 of 10 digital marketing programs we audit the implementation of Google Analytics is minimal if implemented at all. To take the next step with...
While the cannabis industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in America, cannabis is still classified as a Schedule I drug. Because Schedule I drugs are illegal at the federal level, advertising cannabis products face a number of barriers other products do not. 5 Advertising Challenges Unique to Cannabis Businesses Wait,...
At the Matters Group, our client relationships usually begin with what we call the Brand Platform process, which consists of three steps: (1) Internal Platform: in which we ensure all key decision-makers and influencers are on the same page (often more difficult than you’d think); (2) External Platform: where we seek out existing customers...
I once went to a speech given by the then-CEO of P&G, and he said something that I knew instinctively was true, and I’ve followed his advice ever since: Every brand has a story, and it’s your responsibility as the head of a company or marketing director, to tell it. Every...
What is a brand? It seems everyone has their own definition, and I have mine. It’s sometimes easiest to say what it isn’t, especially in an area where there appears to be the most confusion, so here goes – a brand is neither a name, logo or package design. These are important,...
There is a myriad of negative stereotypes many of those in mainstream culture use to describe marijuana consumers. The truth is, there is no one type of person who smokes or eats or vapes marijuana. Marijuana consumers are an extremely diverse group of people, which can make finding the target audience for your particular marijuana product, that...
Washington's rules for recreational cannabis stores get pretty specific about most things, including signage. With all-things-cannabis regulated to death, let's take a look at understanding the restrictions and how best to market your products under close watch from the state. It’s Not The Size, It’s How You Use It The state...
Image via The Weed Street Journal Marijuana Myths – #1: More Pot Means More Crime One of the largest arguments the anti-legalization crowd employs stems from the belief that legal marijuana would increase the crime rate. A number of recent studies have come out that dispute, and even contradict, that assumption....
Drinkables have emerged onto the legal marijuana product scene in a big way. Despite some recent, literal explosions on the market the user-friendly method of imbibing marijuana has taken first Colorado, then Washington by storm. A Bevy of Beverages Lemonades, fruit juices, coffees and sodas have joined the cadre of caramels and...
Image via Examiner.com Not everyone voted for Initiative 502. A full 44 percent of the Washington population checked ‘no’ on the ballot that brought us legalized pot. Many believe legalizing marijuana will destroy the county, children, everything! However, a variety of compelling arguments exist on the other side of that debate,...
Photo Courtesy of ABC News One hundred and forty nine retail marijuana stores now serve the customers of Colorado, their experiences giving countless lessons for Washington marijuana stores to learn. As this infant recreational industry takes its first few steps into the public eye, critics and curators alike have quickly pointed...
Marijuana users and advertising to them has existed as an open secret for a very long time, but that hasn’t stopped it evolving into a force which will continue to change. In the past year, the appearance of the first cable-broadcasted marijuana commercial and the first New York Times ad for marijuana have brought a...
With new recreational marijuana businesses comes the new practice of branding the product itself. Though back-alley sellers have advertised their marijuana for years, the beginning of a legal market opens up the process to the enjoyment, and the scrutiny, of the public at large. So, let’s talk about some of the...
Canna Ventures has launched a groundbreaking new study on marijuana branding in the US. It is scheduled for release in early October 2014. This survey doesn’t simply retrace the familiar knowledge about adoption and usage. While valuable in its appropriate realm, such insights have been publicized by many other survey organizations....
Canna Ventures (now The Matters Group) has launched a groundbreaking new study on marijuana branding in the US. It is scheduled for release in early October 2014. This survey doesn’t simply retrace the familiar knowledge about adoption and usage. While valuable in its appropriate realm, such insights have been publicized by...
Many people saw dollar signs in the passage of Initiative 502, but the real business climate might prove treacherous. Jessica Allen, a CPA with RainCity CPA, has already gained a wealth of experience dealing with interested entrepreneurs who want to take advantage of marijuana’s legalization. However, she has grown dismayed over...