Client: Kapnos Cannabis Co. | The Broccoli Gallery
Industry: Cannabis Cultivation & Ancillary Support
Location: Massachusetts
Services Provided: Human Resources, Training & Development, Branding & Marketing, Events & Experiences
Background
Kapnos Cannabis Co. is a family owned and operated cultivation license in Sharon, MA. While in the process of provisional license, the team set out with intentions on coming to market within a 12 month project plan. With the growing demand for cannabis in the state, the owners wanted to differentiate their brand and while also bridging the community of cannabis users to the lifestyle of art, nature and “spending time doing what you love with who you love”. However, they faced a number of challenges: navigating complex regulations related to branding, developing a brand from scratch that would stand out in the crowds, planning for operations & staff support, and aligning a come to market launch in a busy spring season.
Objective: Deliver and drive a 1 year project plan to establish the brand identity for the Kapnos team to come to market; this included initial marketing design, logo and branding assets, and prepare to bring the client to market, while navigating final permitting and licensing approval along with cultivation timeline and operational plan.
The TWG Approach
Branding & Marketing
We began by leading a series of workshops with the Kapnos ownership team to determine the core elements of their brand: visual identity, customer experience, messaging, and overall market positioning. After a month of developments and initial designs, TWG then built a multi-channel marketing strategy that included a digestible brand kit, website build, plans for packaging & merchandising, social media campaigns and establishing industry partnerships. The branding and marketing strategy also incorporated sensory experiences—how the brand would look, feel, and resonate with customers. This helped Kapnos Canna Co. team create a cohesive and memorable brand presence that attracted loyal customers and made a strong first impression within the industry and in front of their customer base well before bringing product to market.
Results:
- Created a dynamic and recognizable brand that tells the story of the brand and the mission behind their work, creating space to promote peace, love and Kapnos.
- A recognizable brand was built prior to launch in the market; through exposure and visibility as well as merchandise and apparel, supporting and organizing community events and non-profit work, we put the Kapnos brand behind other mission based work that resonated with the ownership and what they stood for and thus what the brand was dedicated to.
- Launched to market during the 10th Annual NeCann Boston; 6 month planning strategy that began with securing prime booth location on the conference floor, building out evergreen displays & convention booths, establishing a platform to build wholesale relationships & recognizable brand identity.
- The launch at NeCann was strategized with 2 leading local retail shops within distance of the conference center, which allowed to sales from the conference to the POS in the retail establishments.
Human Resources | Training & Development
Established a cohesive plan for staffing & support, an organizational chart and department development, this established clarity for roles and responsibilities as it related to the strategic support of the Director of Cultivation with proper management overall operational plan. From there, TWG managed the oversight of job descriptions, job postings, recruiting, hiring and onboarding.
Results:
- Hired staff, built systems of application process, onboarding & employee training.
- Rolled out responsible vendor training and established a culture of training, team building and an environment of open communication, learning & development.
Established a strong foundational team that ensured a 95% employee retention rate in year 1, room for growth within the company.
Events & Experiences:
The Kapnos team owned a space within close proximity to their cultivation campus that was ready to be used to showcase the Kapnos brand while also creating a home for artists, creatives and innovators alike, and that is when The Broccoli Gallery was born. The Broccoli Gallery transformed into its own creative project, establishing brand guide and messaging, website and social channels. The operations of the gallery were simply to create a collaborative space, that is home to fine art collection and guest curators, that also serves as a gathering space/event venue.
With the leverage of a creative venue space; gathering people and building community was a blank canvas. The establishment of The Broccoli Gallery allowed for a Kapnos showroom in the space, bringing in a local artist to build a Kapnos mural straight from the owner’s vision to the wall space. We began by leaning in to networking and brand showcasing and the rest was left to dream and do. Soon, we aligned schedules with open houses, calls to community organizers and event producers, and Kapnos hiring events at The Broccoli Gallery allowed the Kapnos brand to come to life.
Results:
- Kapnos began hosting events & supporting industry and community events 6 months before launching in the market, which allowed awareness and interest to grow.
- Established brand & budding relationships gave opportunities to develop business further.
- Supported the build of Kapnos creative activation at 5 initial events in their first, establishing B2B and B2C relationships, building last impressions.
