Beyond the Basics of Branding
Red Antler, named for the fastest-growing cells in the animal kingdom, is a brand-building agency that focuses on startups. In fact, the company often works with company founders before they even have a product. Cofounders Emily Heyward, who serves as chief brand officer, and Chief Executive Officer JB Osborne started the Brooklyn, New York-based company in 2007 with a vision of working with founders from the start to ensure every client company’s identity is baked into its DNA. The pair says the kinetic cannabis sector appeals to them because its evolving laws and geography require flexibility and creativity. Consider, for instance, the client with the clever name who couldn’t concisely say what was in the can. Or the company that struggled to raise capital because it emphasized the “Wow, dude!” factor rather than its professionalism. With cannabis still illegal at the federal level, Red Antler also anticipates a shakeout as mergers-and-acquisitions opportunities and funding sources ...