Brand Strategy & Positioning
Naming
Creative Direction
Brand Identity
Integrated Campaign
Packaging
Brand Collateral
Branded Merchandise & Accessories
Photography & Art Direction
Social Content
Product Video
Website
Production Management
Brand Guidelines
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Aphria, one of the largest Licensed Producers of cannabis in Canada, approached Jacknife to create and launch its recreational cannabis brands, having already achieved success through the branding of Aphria itself. One of these new brands was to target a very specific audience of “cannabis curious” potential consumers and came to be known as Solei.
Working with consumer data and segmentation reports,
we quickly understood that our target consumers—primarily suburban women who still held some reservations about cannabis—would be open to an offering positioned similarly to familiar packaged goods brands that they were already loyal to. Establishing this level of trust required that we educate this consumer in a way that was equally relatable and resonant by taking a light-hearted yet informative and aesthetically beautiful approach to creative strategy and design.
We audited similar categories, markets where cannabis was legal, and emerging competitors in Canada mining for insights and inspiration.
With a rich understanding of our consumers, the marketplace, and our product, we built a platform that hinges on the values, needs, and consumption habits of our audience. With the positioning solidified, we named the brand—“Solei” and went on to design the logo, visual identity system, website, and packaging for the various strains. We named each strain and created a messaging convention that helped the “novice” cannabis consumer understand and distinguish Solei products.
After the initial branding phase was completed, we developed the go-to-market campaign including outdoor, social content, swag, educational videos, and creative direction for an experiential unit that allowed consumers to interact with the brand in a welcoming, familiar environment.
This journey was not just about introducing a cannabis brand; it was a meticulously executed process that integrated branding, education, and creativity to build trust and resonate with a demographic that initially harbored reservations about cannabis consumption.
On the day of legalization, Solei achieved a notable milestone by quickly selling out on the Ontario Cannabis Store website, immediately establishing its presence in a competitive market.
Solei continues as one of the top 5 selling cannabis brands, especially impressive given the less frequent consumption habits of its audience. The success of Solei stands as a testament to the power of holistic, consumer-centric branding.
