Music And Cannabis Branding Opportunities

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Cannabis-themed music predates the television set, the Empire State Building and even the Great Depression. 

That factoid might not come up in a game of Trivial Pursuit, but cannabis and music go back a century to the 1920s with artists like Louis Armstrong, the Rhythm Kings and Frankie "Half-Pint" Jaxon leading the way to a 1930s boom with classics like Cab Calloway's "Reefer Man." The 1960s ushered in a grand new era with artists like Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix, while the 1990s broke the floodgates with Sublime, Cypress Hill, Dr. Dre and countless others. 

The cannabis-music relationship is one of the oldest in American pop culture, and as the nascent legal cannabis industry evolves, so do new opportunities for brands to channel this natural chemistry into products. 

To date, many brands who pursued this opportunity focused on iconic aficionados, both living (Snoop Dogg, Willie Nelson) and immortal (Bob Marley), to varying degrees of success. While rap music played a pivotal role in reigniting cannabis culture in recent decades, many of its artists who launched signature strains surprisingly encountered a largely ambivalent audience. Cypress Hill frontman B Real is a notable exception.

Few artists have more cannabis cred than Cypress Hill, and B Real added retail cred with the Dr. Greenthumb dispensary chain where he handpicks every product. With consumer trust firmly established, the dispensary scored a homegrown hit with its Insane OG strain that, like the dispensary chain itself, is named after a Cypress Hill hit. 

Other music artists are making inroads into the market without being so upfront about their involvement. System of a Down bassist Shavo Odadjian launched 22Red as a lifestyle brand that continues to gain acclaim, while Xzibit launched Napalm (named after his 2012 album of the same name) with signature items like The Grenade, an 8-gram pre-roll encased in a glass collectible. Both artists are very involved in their brands, but neither put himself front and center on the products or websites. They seem to want the quality to speak for itself, and so far it's working.

Some brands also found success by focusing on a music genre, not an artist. Neon Roots is a natural extension of its founders decades-long involvement in the club, rave and EDM scene, while Heavy Grass dedicated itself to the sweet leaf-burnin' metal fan. This approach allows brands to align with a wider net of artists and music events. Heavy Grass, which made its debut with installations (sans product) at metal festivals across the country, has since branched out with its first artist-specific line, Clown Cannabis by Slipknot co-founder Shawn Crahan, to solid retail demand. 

These are examples of ascending brands, but what about those that struggled? In many cases, artists merely wanted to make a buck on the green rush and thought slapping their name and image on a pre-roll is all it would take. In other instances, the product wasn't authentic, the marketing didn't connect or the choice of product was poor. In a nutshell, they failed to appreciate the savvy and discerning nature of modern cannabis consumers. 

So, how does a music artist or company do it right? 

First, pick a target audience that doesn't have an abundance of brands already competing for mindshare. Rap music, unfortunately, is already oversaturated.

Second, build an authentic connection with the audience. Cannabis consumers typically possess an acute BS detector after having endured an overabundance of marketing. Always be consistent and bring value to build that connection.

Third, market to consumers organically via access to artists, concerts and events. Artists can promote their brands at live events, even leveraging product and logo placement.

Finally, be in it for the long haul. The best artists often say they would have continued writing, recording and performing without success because their love for music compels them. That's the attitude cannabis brands should take. 

Many mistakenly thought this was a short game for fast gain. It’s not. Brands have a better shot when compelled by a genuine passion for cannabis and music. Making the most of the opportunity requires a thoughtful strategy and approach that honors, not exploits, this special relationship built over a century of great sounds and smokes. 

This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice.