For years, marijuana businesses never felt the need to have professional branding. The default logo has always the green cannabis leaf, and the default packaging has always been those cellophane ‘baggies’. But all of that has changed as the industry has become more mainstream due to the legalization of the drug.
More and more governments are legalizing medical marijuana, and previous hardliners have softened their stance and become more accepting of people who use it, especially for medical reasons. Because of these developments, a lot of marijuana growers are coming out of the woodwork and making a legitimate business out of the cannabis growing process.
Changes in law/legislation relating to marijuana
As of April 2016, 24 out of 50 states have legalized medical marijuana in the U.S., while seven have pending legislation. Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and Colorado have legalized both medical and recreational marijuana. As marijuana laws become more common and less stringent in the U.S., the once criminal activity is now considered as a mainstream and legitimate business.
The changes are happening internationally as well. Canada legalized medical marijuana in 2001 and has had proponents working on recreational legalization. We are also seeing various European countries either decriminalize or legalize marijuana in some form. The Netherlands allows up to five grams is per person, and you can use marijuana in cafes, while in the Czech Republic, medical marijuana was legalized in 2013. In South America, Uruguay legalized marijuana on a national scale in 2013, selling it through pharmacies to citizens on a government registry.
This change in the tides of the marijuana law has resulted in a flourishing industry where a lot of marijuana growers are opening up dispensaries, vaperies, and cafés all over the states where recreational marijuana is legal, with respectable financial institutions willing to work with them.
New market needs new designs
Various marijuana-based markets keep emerging, such as those within the health care and leisure markets. But just like any fledgling industry, these marijuana business owners need to have a firm grasp of their branding and improve on their public image in order to succeed for the long-term.
This is especially important once the novelty of being able to legally smoke pot has faded away, and has become a regular thing.
Branding a marijuana-based business is tricky, especially since you also need to overcome the social stigma that is associated with the product.
Marijuana operators should be made aware of the fact they are not just promoting their product – but they have also become endorsers for the widespread acceptance of its use. When it comes to branding strategies, it is therefore important to highlight its medicinal benefits instead of treating it as a mere vice.
What brands are looking for in a marijuana logo?
Most marijuana companies have variations of the green cannabis leaf as their logo. While this is the most recognizable icon of marijuana, business owners need to set themselves apart from their competitors. In order to do this, they have to find a unique and creative logo that is different from their competitors but still recognizable and relatable to their customers.
One way to do this is to choose a typeface that is appropriate for the audience you are targeting. You can choose a serious font if you are targeting an older demographic or a fun, playful font if you are targeting millennial users. Once the typeface logo has been chosen, you can look to subtly include the marijuana leaf within the design. The most important thing is the medical marijuana logo design must be able to convey and match the business’ image.
Another thing to look at when you’re making of a marijuana logo is its versatility. Since it will be used in a variety of mediums, you must be able to come up with a great vector design that will make the logo appear perfect no matter what platform is used, such as websites, letterheads, and billboards.
Here you can see a few examples of designs for clients in the marijuana industry which were crowdsourced through DesignCrowd. You will find a variety of approaches which incorporate the marijuana symbol in a professional way.
The marijuana branding industry needs to move beyond just the basic leaf when it comes to logo design. If you want to make your marijuana business stand out, it is time to create designs that are differentiated from your competition, attractive, and professional.
Scroll down for more great design examples from logo designers at DesignCrowd and BrandCrowd.
Marijuana logos
More medical marijuana design ideas
Although a logo is crucial to the branding, medical marijuana businesses also need to ensure they have a presence across various platforms to engage customers.
The process of passing over a bag with a handshake has been replaced because of the legalization, and companies need a way to reach wider audiences to both sell as well as fully explain the industry to those who may remain sceptical.
Check out these examples of web designs and letterheads that are a far cry from previously held back-street dealer reputation.
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Written by Jessica Walrack on Wednesday, August 24, 2016
Jessica Walrack is a professional freelance writer with a background in sales and marketing. After 7 years in the corporate world, she stepped into the online sphere and has now been freelancing for 4 years. She specializes in helping businesses to create a stellar online experience for their audience in order to build industry authority and increase profitability. In her spare time, Jessica enjoys traveling all over the world with her family.