Marijuana Marketing Makes Moves into Mainstream

LOS ANGELES - Jan. 2, 2017 - PRLog -- As the legal cannabis market grows, the marketing that propels successful brands is maturing and Rival Creative is the agency leading the way in creating in-depth cannabis brands designed to appeal to modern consumers.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - January 2, 2017 - With California, Nevada, Massachusetts, and Maine joining Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and the District of Columbia in 2017 in legalizing recreational use of cannabis, nearly 25 percent of Americans now live in a state where residents can purchase cannabis from a retail storefront. This suddenly opened market has brought hundreds of brands rushing to put their products on the shelves with little attention or consideration paid to branding or packaging.

Now, however, top-tier cannabis brands are availing themselves of professional branding agencies like Rival Creative to bring sophisticated looks and feels to their offerings. Headquartered in Los Angeles, Rival has created the look and feel of high-profile premium cannabis brands like Burnwell in Washington (as featured in Dope Magazine's January 2017 issue) and music legend Willie Nelson's Willie's Reserve brand, available in both Colorado and Washington.

In addition, Rival worked to design packaging for each brand that reflected the particular priorities of their founders, incorporating eco-friendly materials and reusable containers to showcase products and stand out in the increasingly crowded offerings of recreational cannabis stores.

"We treat cannabis brands like any other bespoke branding project we take on," said Rival Creative Director and Co-Founder Brian Williams. "Whether it's cannabis, professional sports, a nonprofit, or an entertainment property, we find what makes each company's offering unique and then craft a brand that speaks directly to the emotional benefits it brings their audiences. Our goal is to forge relationships between clients and consumers that can grow and mature, not just whip up a look, a logo, and go."

Rival Creative (www.werival.com) is a new-model agency with a better way—working directly with decision-makers to deliver undiluted creativity with minimum complication. RIVAL was founded in January 2015 when three creative veterans with nearly 50 years combined experience left high-profile agencies to form a shop with an insatiable appetite for creating exquisite, meaningful work for clients. Today, RIVAL continues to be an untamed creative force with just the right capacity to rapidly pivot and expand with the evolving needs of each client and engagement.


FOR COMMENT: Rival Creative Directors Brian Williams and Ben Reese can be reached for comment or interview by contacting Rival COO Cynthia Caldwell at 585-704-0026 or via email at cynthia@werival.com.