Can The Cannabis Industry Sustain a Cohesive Eco-Friendly Marketing Strategy?
Suffice to say that marketing in the cannabis industry, much like the industry itself, is all over the place. In many ways that is to be expected - the industry, after all, is still in its infancy. Navigating complex legalization policies during uncertain times in a nascent industry is enough of a challenge. It is to be expected that some brands have their marketing blueprint more determined than others.
When it comes to the issue of sustainability as a marketing touchpoint, the information offered is even more inconsistent and is often unclear or incomplete. As we take a look at this specific aspect of the cannabis industry - sustainability efforts, and how they are marketed - it led us to wonder: what are brands doing vis a vis sustainability? Why aren’t brands marketing their sustainability efforts more distinctly? How important are environmental efforts in the mind of a discerning cannabis consumer? What is the future of sustainability marketing in the cannabis industry?
A quick glance at the top products unfortunately yields only limited messaging in regards to sustainability. Flow Kana puts their production process front and center in their marketing message. Lowell Farms takes a smart farm-to-dispensary approach to their marketing. Some make mention of this being a focus, or of having a task force assigned to the issue of producing an eco-friendlier product. But overall, there is little messaging of what efforts brands are making to lower their carbon footprint, utilize recycled materials, etc. as part of their larger marketing strategy.
To be fair, brands genuinely seem to be focused on more than just turning a profit - they want to be warriors for environmental justice, social equality, and champions for a better future overall. But the simple fact is that beyond growing organically and perhaps utilizing recycled materials to package their product, many are either unable or ill equipped to establish a broader sustainability strategy in developing and selling their products.
Without federal legalization, standards are vague so it’s hard to put the onus entirely on brands to get it right. Since the federal Farm Bill passed in 2018, the USDA has provided certification for hemp farms and CBD companies such as Green Gorilla and Aspen Green. This creates differentiation of safety and quality in a crowded marketplace. Some day one imagines similar standards for cannabis products.
We’d like to think that the cannabis brands who figure this out will emerge victorious in the coming years. The cannabis consumer, like the population at large, sees a world of extreme weather, and an alarming combination of drought in some climates with disastrous flooding in others. People are going vegan in response to the carbon footprint required to farm animals and animal products. What any brand - a cannabis product, food product, automobile etc. - is doing to reduce their carbon footprint and produce more sustainably is going to become a larger question for discerning consumers. So, while cannabis brands need to figure out how they can win on pricing, brand identity, creative packaging, and many other competitive factors, being ecologically innovative and responsible is going to be a defining issue to add to their challenges.
Imagine what the future of cannabis can be...
A competitive marketplace with high quality, locally sourced products made using recycled water and materials.
Products grown outdoors on organic farms or indoors using LED lighting, where the consumer is informed which is which.
Dispensaries and web marketplaces that call out sustainability measures, akin to a supermarket that has sections for organically grown produce.
A menu of choice where consumers can decide which products to purchase based on these factors.
A consumer base that is not only more aware of what they are putting into their bodies, but also knowing how and where that product is produced.
That is the future we hope to see, and we hope to see it soon. The future of the industry, and our planet, may depend on it.
