What are the major celebrity cannabis brands? Are they just a money-grab? Which ones are doing it right, and what should we expect from the future?
With cannabis usage becoming more widely accepted across the United States and the world, more and more public figures are dipping their toes into the industry with the hopes of expanding their footprints. The industry has been particularly appealing to celebrities with dedicated followings with a high likelihood of being cannabis users. Sometimes, however, these brands enter the market without true purpose, but more as a cash grab. This begs the question: what is the ideal role for celebrity participation in the cannabis industry?
What are the best celebrity brands?
A recent Uproxx article highlighted “the good, the bad, and the unsmokable” celebrity brands, with varying degrees of explanations. Certainly, weed quality is paramount to any successful brand. According to Uproxx, many celebrity brands, such as Jay-Z’s Monogram, are simply re-packaging mids and slapping a fancy label on top of it with a sizeable upcharge. Further, some of the celeb brands aren’t giving due credit when the weed is actually good, as was the case with Seth Rogen’s houseplant and their well-known geneticist partner THC-design.
From a brand positioning perspective, it’s still to be seen where celebrities will fall into the grand cannabis landscape. Certainly, brands like Cookies have driven the lifestyle branding of the business, and have brought a lot of cannabis underground culture into the forefront of the industry.
The world of cannabis is changing rapidly and marijuana is entering the conversation in nearly every corner of the United States – especially in politics. As legislation changes across the country, users will be presented with even more options.
Cannabis as activism
It’s also refreshing when you see celebrities lending their voice from an activism standpoint. Many brands have advocated for the full legalization of cannabis nationwide, and for former sentences to be commuted in light of that legalization. Many brands have advocated for social equity within the cannabis marketplace, and have committed to working with partners from under-represented communities to even the playing field.
Most recently, bounce music icon Big Freedia announced her cannabis and culture brand “Royal Bud” and committed to building with existing operators. In a recent Essence Magazine article, Freedia was quoted as saying “This is not a typical celebrity or vanity brand. I am curating the products, the vibe, the businesses we work with. We don’t want to detract from existing businesses in cannabis, we want to build with them. I’m trying to highlight the existing diversity in cannabis and work with people and partners who align with my brand.”
Certainly the playing field of celebrity brands will continue to change as the legalization landscape evolves. For the time being, we’re going to smoke the best and ride with the brands who are down with the cause. Let us know what celebrity brands you’ve smoked and what you think.