Brands of the Rich and Famous
While cannabis may still have some distance to go before it’s truly normalized, the plant and related products are no longer exactly taboo. This shift is apparent in increasingly blatant pop-culture references, expanding legalization efforts, and the new, unabashed ways products are marketed to the masses—most notably by celebrities. A race to dominate the market in the same way Nike owns athletic shoes and Coca-Cola eclipses all other soft drinks has contributed to product saturation and fierce competition in the cannabis space. Much as Nike and Coke did decades ago, cannabis brands increasingly seek celebrity involvement to bolster their image and create emotional links with consumers. No matter the industry or product, a celebrity’s endorsement—or better yet, ownership stake—can precipitate earned media and consumer interest in the short term. Played right, the hype can become brand awareness that sticks around for the long haul. Cannabis is becoming a lifestyle product that ties...