Objectives
Make clear the experience and focus of this team
Create a mature cannabis brand
Set the brand up to lead in the burgeoning CBD space
As cannabis continues to grow its momentum into the mainstream of our culture, the next “gold rush” in the space is clearly CBD. But there’s still a stigma around these products: Conventional customers see those who build and operate CBD brands as “pot heads.”
A consortium of investors, led by a longtime CEO of an international textile manufacturer, had founded a new CBD venture based on a novel (and still proprietary, sorry) business model and needed a name and brand to convey their expertise in building companies and their determination in the new market. They turned to my frequent freelance writing partner,
Gil Templeton, and me for naming and branding.
There's still a stigma around CBD brands and products. How can we create a mark that lives in the space but doesn't read "pot head"?
We presented a few different name selections along with logo options for each name. Ultimately the client wanted the name “ACES,” which stands for “American Cultivation & Extraction Services” while also hiding the initials of the primary three investors in the project.
Before the client decided on ACES, we explored a wide range of naming options. They narrowed our list down to three finalists: Resurgence, ACE, and Traction.
Knowing we wanted to show a range of options for each potential name, I undertook what was essentially three separate branding projects, thinking and ideating through each name on its own merits.
The client narrowed the list of name possibilities down to three finalists: Resurgence, ACE, and Traction
After presenting our concepts, the clients decided that they wanted to move forward with ACES, modified from the previous ACE name option, and with some additional insight into their motivations for choosing this name, asked us to pursue additional concepts for this name. I once again began sketching and concepting ideas, which were refined into another set of polished options for their consideration.
I worked to create a final mark that looked assertive, stood out in the space, and incorporated the client’s directives of showing the iconic cannabis leaf and making some small nod to a deck of playing cards (evoked from the name “ACES”).
Ultimately the client was very happy with their chosen result and has begun making inroads into the market after emerging from stealth mode. This project showcases the diverse range of thinking and ideation I can bring to branding projects and although I knew we'd only sell one mark in the end, I'm very pleased to have so many strong logos to show for the effort.
