Business of Cannabis: A Brand for Business

When we launched Business of Cannabis in November 2017, we knew, that like the rest of the industry, we were entering into relatively unchartered territory.

The cannabis sector is forming and evolving at an incredible rate and our goal is to tell the stories and provide the authoritative platform for news, analysis and insights into the business and people shaping the industry.

With this as our goal, in the past three months we have created opportunities to advance the reach and sophistication of the conversation around the Canadian cannabis industry – both internally and with key stakeholders nationally and internationally.   We’ve done this through partnerships and original research including working with Nanos Research to launch a public opinion barometer to measure how Canadians view the industry; co-sponsored research with the Human Resources Professional Association (HRPA) on the incredible need for employers to better prepare for how legalization may impact the workplace and have been featured by almost every national media channel from CBC Metro Morning, BNN and The Globe & Mail among others.

And, like the rest of the cannabis industry, our momentum continues to grow at an incredible pace – we are excited about the months ahead.  Upcoming events include the launch of our quarterly publication; the release of groundbreaking industry research into Canadian LP’s and a soon-to-be-announced medical cannabis event series.

Welcome To Our Second Quarter…

This March, Business of Cannabis enters our second quarter. Our goal remains to find ways to promote, amplify and advance key conversations on behalf of the industry and as always, our approach is a highly consultative one – we are always looking to engage and showcase all aspects of this innovative sector.

As part of our first-year growth strategy, we recently reached out to our partners, industry friends and growing network of supporters, to ask them about nudge changes that we could make to further help our goal of being the trusted source and voice of the industry.

Through this approach, we discovered more about how we need to package ourselves to best serve your needs – part of which includes the way we represent ourselves visually.  

A Trusted Brand For Business…

And so, we are excited to announce that we’ve developed a new visual brand that we hope will serve to set us apart and above in the conversation about cannabis in Canada.  

Knowing that ours is an industry that is changing quickly and in which being early to market is an advantage, we also recognize that we’re a young industry, unconfined by some of the more classical expectations. We are representing a group of highly entrepreneurial and risk-taking professionals who are keen to be valued as legitimate, responsible and trustworthy and our visual brand should represent this.

So, a few notes on our new logo mark and how it supports our brand:

• Business first. We’re a business brand, committed to helping to develop greater respect and legitimacy for the professionals and brands in the emerging cannabis sector. The square speaks to our solid foundation in business and the rigour applied to our core focus of business.  
• Examination, curiosity and focus. First and foremost, we’re a news channel focused on reliable coverage and in-depth analysis. This means that our approach is one that is committed to providing a fresh lens on the sector. The small circle in the top right-hand corner speaks to our commitment to curiosity and examination.
• Yellow in a sea of green. We’re leaving behind the more ‘classically’ business colours of red and blue and opting for a fresher, more optimistic palette of white, grey and yellow. Yellow is a colour of hope, loyalty and as we’ve long known from taxis and school buses, and in a sea of ‘green’, it’s a colour that we believe will stand out.

Our structure will remain the same with Jay Rosenthal as President, Reva Seth as CEO and myself, Blaine Pearson, as CMO and we look forward to continuing to grow with you, our partners in the space. We are also looking to grow our team, so watch this space for a series of upcoming announcements.

Look for a rollout of our new brand across all channels in the coming days and in your inbox on Monday at 11 a.m.  

We welcome your inputs and inquiries about our new brand and other opportunities to editor@businessofcannabis.ca.

Blaine Pearson
Chief Marketing Officer
Business of Cannabis