Why the Future of Cannabis Branding Could Be Determined on the East Coast

2020 was a consequential year for legal cannabis. The industry provided essential services to millions of patients and recreational consumers throughout the pandemic while leading multistate operators (MSOs), including Curaleaf, Green Thumb Industries and Cresco Labs closed out the year with record revenues north of $150 million. (Full disclosure: MATTIO Communications represents Curaleaf, the MSO that owns Select.) Cannabis also won over voters across party lines in five new states, further accelerating the legalization movement. One of the most critical states to vote in favor of recreational cannabis was New Jersey, and industry leaders and investors believe this will create a legalization domino effect along the East Coast.  In the next year, we can expect a more sophisticated cannabis industry to put down its roots out east, creating highly coveted opportunities for mature West Coast and Midwest brands to become established and nationally recognized household names. While this is a momentous occasion for operators who are hungry to enter these lucrative new markets, the next two years could make or break some of the biggest names in cannabis if they do not focus on building brand loyalty. As a cannabis communications professional based in New York, I can say with certainty that the East Coast is a completely different beast, and capturing this market requires engaging with target demographics in more transparent and modern ways.   How Brands Will Take Center Stage as the Cannabis Industry Grows Legal Weed Is Coming to New Jersey -- But How Will That Work? 15 Metal Christmas Songs for Unsilent, Unholy Nights Paul McCartney's 40 Greatest Solo Songs East Coast audiences are familiar with cannabis as a consumer category.  When recreational cannabis was first legalized in Washington and Colorado nearly a decade ago, most consumers still viewed legal cannabis as an emerging medical movement and were not fully aware of the plant’s numerous wellness and social applications. Additionally, stigmas associated with consumption back then deterred canna-curious consumers from learning more about the industry.  Now, cannabis has become one of the most sought-after consumer products, especially during the pandemic. According to one of our clients, Headset, which is a cannabis data analytics provider, year-over-year retail spending among all Americans, including older demographics, has been consistently climbing, with Gen Z, millennial and Gen X consumers making up nearly 75% of sales growth last year.  There are many ways to legally consume cannabis in 2021. Customers can walk into their local dispensary and choose from a selection of edibles, pre-rolls, flowers, wax, beverages, vapes, tinctures, topicals and even suppositories to address their personal or medical needs. Unlike the first markets that came online, the majority of East Coast recreational consumers have been watching the industry develop from afar and are already familiar with can