‘Creative ways’ eyed to brand legal pot

SAINT JOHN, N.B. • Marijuana industry titans will gather in New Brunswick next week to discuss how to market cannabis in a competitive legal marketplace, and other issues raised by the dawn of government-run weed.

The World Cannabis Congress will host 450 industry leaders starting Sunday evening in Saint John.

Topping their agenda is the branding challenge: Health Canada is requiring marijuana packages to be a single, uniform colour without images or graphics other than the logo and a health warning.

“We have to find creative ways to market our product and differentiate ourselves while remaining within the regulations,” said Ray Gracewood, chief operating officer for OrganiGram, a Moncton, N.B.-based medicinal cannabis producer that is ready to enter the recreational market. Gracewood said the market needs to be able to develop brands when recreational cannabis becomes legal in Canada later this summer.

“Without the opportunity to develop a brand that’s targeted in a responsible way to responsible adults, it allows the industry to be exposed to the illicit market and the continued growth of the illicit market where brands do exist and amazing packaging does exist,” he said.

OrganiGram recently announced a number of brands, including Trailer Park Buds, through a partnership with the people responsible for the Trailer Park Boys show. The firm’s Moncton facility has expanded several times and now has more than 260 employees.

Gracewood said unless producers are able to be competitive within the regulations, people will be forced to look for loopholes.

“I don’t think that is the intention, but there is a good chance that may become the end result.”

Rock stars are becoming one early differentiator.

In March, Vancouverbased licensed producer Invictus MD brought on KISS co-founder Gene Simmons as “chief evangelist officer” and investor. Simmons, who maintains that he has never smoked cannabis in his life, said he is “bullish” on Invictus. He has purchased $10 million in company stock.

The Tragically Hip, meantime, are a creative partner and shareholder in Newstrike Resources Ltd., an Ontario marijuana producer.