Join CMA and Headset on Tuesday, February 2 at 12:00 pm MT.
Join CMA and Headset on Tuesday, February 2 at 12:00 pm MT and get a chance to ask questions to better understand your retail audience or customer base.
Throughout the session, attendees will gain a better understanding of how COVID has impacted cannabis retail and consumer purchasing patterns. Retailers have been forced to pivot their business strategies to accommodate social distancing restrictions - find out how certain shops are staying ahead of COVID and capitalizing on new consumer trends. In particular, throughout the last year a few notable trends have emerged:
Consumers are shopping less often and buying more in each trip. This has lead to fewer opportunities for stores to use their sales staff to cross-sell and up-sell customers.
Customers have increasingly embraced online ordering and stores are using their loyalty programs to better connect with customers via text message and email campaigns.
The above have also presented challenges for brands which now find they cannot rely on budtenders to be their front line sales staff. Rather brands are having to embrace marketing in order to meet consumer needs.
Already know exactly what you want to ask these industry experts? You can submit your questions with your ticket purchase; this hour-long live event will include 30 minutes of pre-submitted questions and 30 minutes of open Q&A.
Speaker Bios
Liz Connors is the Director of Analytics at Headset, a cannabis data intelligence company. At Headset Liz and her team are responsible for everything from creating SKU level, realtime market forecasts of Adult Use cannabis sales across the US and Canada to the creation of dashboards for our Retailer product. In addition, Liz and her team write Industry Reports and run webinars working to increase data literacy across the cannabis space. Instead of sending over just a PDF of numbers and graphs, Liz’s team provides users with cutting edge insights via user-friendly dashboards that allow you to get the data you need quickly.
Prior to working for Headset, Liz worked as a Data Scientist in CPG retail and financial services, as well as spent some time in Financial and Economic Consulting. After eight years working as a Data Scientist, Liz started her own Data Science consulting business where she advised small businesses on how to use their data to make better product, marketing, and operational decisions. Along with her work at Headset, Liz currently works with researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and London Business School doing experimental research on heuristics and biases that impede business decision makers from optimally using data to drive decisions.
Nick Elam is the Director of Marketing at Headset and has proven success building robust marketing programs and effective branding strategies that drive measurable brand awareness and product adoption for both B2B and B2C focused brands in the tech, cannabis, housing, outdoor and retail spaces.
Nick has earned his success through high-impact campaigns and programs built through innovative ideas, strategic messaging and an honest effort to approach all ideas and people with respect and integrity.
Last Prisoner Project Holiday Letter Writing Happy Hour
Join CMA and LPP for virtual happy hour where we will be writing letters for the holidays to Last Prisoner Project's constituents!
The Last Prisoner Project (LPP) is a coalition of cannabis industry leaders, executives and artists dedicated to bringing restorative justice to the cannabis industry. LPP is dedicated to releasing cannabis prisoners and helping them rebuild their lives.
Join Cannabis Marketing Association and Last Prisoner Project for our Holiday Letter Writing Happy Hour on December 2. Attendees will hear from LPP's Managing Director, Mary Bailey, to learn about Last Prisoner Project's Letter Writing Program, how to get involved, and have the opportunity to write an LPP constituent a letter.
What to Write
The biggest hurdle to beginning a pen pal relationship is getting started. A suggestion for a first letter might include an intro with a short bio, an explanation of how you came to hear about your pen pal, hobbies, pets, music, activism, etc. You can also wish them a happy holiday to raise spirits. Furthermore let them know that cannabis justice activists like yourself are fighting for their freedom! Don't forget, the prison mail system can be slow. Sometimes it takes several weeks to get a response.
Mailing Instructions
Plain white envelopes only
No stamps (other than postage stamps on the envelope), stickers, tape, glue, glitter, staples, paper clips, fragrances, crayon, ribbon, etc on the envelope or letter
No popup/out content
No address labels
All ingoing and outgoing mail is subject to inspection. Never include anything you wouldn't want staff to read
No drawings or markings that can be misconstrued as secret code or inappropriate content etc
Please realize that even if you do everything correctly, mail can be returned
Addressing the Envelope
Always include your pen pal's full name, six-digit prison ID#, institution name, address, and your full name and return address.
This event is free to everyone; however, $10 donations to Last Prisoner Project are suggested.
To learn more about Last Prisoner Project, visit https://www.lastprisonerproject.org/.
Become a CMA member at: https://staging.thecannabismarketingassociation.com/membership/
The Future of Cannabis Marketing: a Ted-style event
Cannabis Marketing Association is proud to announce The Future of Cannabis Marketing — a forward-thinking, half-day virtual Ted-style event.
Future of Cannabis Marketing: Attendee Instructions
Icebreaker (1:1 Networking)
The Future of Cannabis Marketing begins at 9:30 am MT January 19 on Icebreaker for 1:1 networking. You will be on video with your matches.
Icebreaker is a separate platform. This is the only session not held on Zoom. You will need a Gmail account to log into Icebreaker.
You must join from desktop. It will not work on mobile.
Clear your browser cache to ensure there are no technical difficulties and login to your Gmail account. If at any time you encounter technical difficulties or get kicked out of the event, simply refresh the page.
We already sent Google calendar invites with the Icebreaker link embedded.
Zoom
Your Zoom link is unique to you and was sent within 24 hours of the date you bought a ticket. You will receive two reminder emails from Eventbrite two hours before and ten minutes before the live event with your viewing link.
Opening remarks begin at 10:45 am MT, but we will "open the doors" at 10:30 am MT. Following the networking Icebreaker, individual speaker sessions and the VIP Roundtable will be held on Zoom.
If you purchased a VIP ticket, you received two separate Zoom links— one for the individual sessions and one for the Speakers Post Show Roundtable. This link will not be included in your reminder emails. Please reach out to membership@marketingcannabis.org if you need your Zoom links resent to you.
All sessions will be recorded and made available to registrants within the week.
Support
Please reach out via the chat on our website for any support you may need during the event. This is our main support line and the best way to contact us.
Agenda (all times are Mountain)
9:30 – 10:30 am — Speed Networking 1:1**
10:45 – 11:00 am — Opening Remarks, Lisa Buffo
11:00 – 11:30 am — Derek Espinoza, Marketing Madness: The Role Marketing Will Play In Destigmatizing Cannabis
11:30 am – 12:00 pm — Michael Brooks, The Future of Cannabis Retail: Facebook, Google, and MSOs
12:00 – 12:30 am — Lilli Keinaenen, Carbon Positive Cannabis Future
12:30 – 12:45 pm — break
12:45 – 1:15 pm — Jason White, The Future is Leveraging Brand Experience in New Markets
1:15 – 1:45 pm — Trang Trinh, Cannabis + Social Good = Sustainability
1:45 – 2:00 pm — Closing Remarks
VIP ONLY: 2:30 – 3:30 pm — Speakers Post Show Roundtable
AMA: Utilizing Digital Advertising for Your Cannabis Brand
Join Cannabis Marketing Association and Centro Tuesday, November 10 at 12:00 pm MT for our first-ever AMA.
Join CMA and Centro Tuesday, November 10 at 12:00 MT for our first AMA (Ask Me Anything) session with Ryan Manchee, VP of Media Innovations & Technology, Chelsea Gerberich, Account Executive, Client Development, and Chris Timmins, Account Executive, Client Development at Centro. Get a chance to have your questions directly answered so you can make informed decisions on curating an impactful digital advertising strategy.
Throughout the session, attendees will gain a better understanding of cannabis marketing best practices for launching and growing brands and learn from Centro's acumen within the industry in terms of compliance, targeting, while also tapping into their 19 years of experience with large, global brands. Already know exactly what you want to ask these cannabis communications experts? You can submit your questions with your ticket purchase; this hour-long live event will include 30 minutes of pre-submitted questions and 30 minutes of open Q&A.
Speaker Bios
Ryan Manchee, VP, Media Innovations + Technology, Centro
Ryan Manchee leads the Media Innovations + Technology team at Centro and oversees the Centro Institute. In his role, he focuses on exploring emerging technologies, identifying multi-screen marketing trends, and providing strategic guidance on how to invest in new digital platforms and technologies.
Ryan is a globally recognized marketing technologist and innovative media strategist with over 18 years of digital advertising experience. Ryan has been at the forefront of ad tech throughout his career and has held leadership roles on a variety of teams within the space, including operations, product, marketing, and sales. Ryan joined Centro in 2014, lives in Dallas, and has two kids and a wife.
Chelsea Gerberich, Account Executive, Client Development, Centro
Chelsea is a part of Centro’s Client Development team working with multiple brands across a spectrum of different verticals & has a passion for cannabis. Chelsea joined Centro in 2016, originally from Chicago has been in Denver the last 4 years. She works closely with her clients to ensure they are receiving the best strategic direction & service in the industry.
Chris Timmins, Account Executive, Client Development, Centro
Chris brings 14 years of marketing experience across the spectrum of brand, publisher, adtech, and agency to his role at Centro. He is a results-driven, high-achieving marketer with a proven record of building innovative, high-growth partnerships & revenue streams that deliver distinct results. Chris joined Centro in 2016 and lives with his wife and son in Cold Spring, NY.
Join us for this month's Halloween-themed virtual networking session!
This informal networking session is to connect marketers in the CMA community with each other— wherever they are in the world. Attendees will be matched at random for brief 7-minute conversational games in private breakout rooms. Halloween attire is strongly encouraged! 👻
Please note, this event is capped at 40 attendees. Attendees will be admitted to the event on a first-come, first-serve basis.
See you on Icebreaker!
This event is for Cannabis Marketing Association members exclusively. To learn more about CMA Membership, visit https://staging.thecannabismarketingassociation.com/membership/.
Marketing for Premium Products Amidst a Pandemic Webinar
Find out what the trends are in luxury cannabis branding
Given the short time that cannabis has been legal, the maturation of the market is remarkable. No where is that evidenced more than in the luxury cannabis category. In this session, panelists will speak about the marketing behind a luxury cannabis brand - and what the similarities and differences are to consumers of other luxury products like alcohol or fashion. In addition, panelists will talk about how the pandemic and economic downturns affect their marketing efforts and sales.
Cynthia Salarizadeh, Founder & President, House of Saka
After visiting Sonoma about a year before she moved to California to work in the cannabis industry, Cynthia met with popular wine makers and cannabis cultivators and knew she wanted to begin an infused wine company based on the historic significance of it throughout the world. Once the time was ripe for the regulatory landscape to allow for such a licensed product, she teamed up with innovative and powerful women throughout both the wine and cannabis industries in order to bring the vision to life. Her background in managing startups, fundraising, branding, and public relations brought an advantageous value to developing the sophisticated brand for the House of Saka. Cynthia is also the Founder of the cannabis industry’s newswire and entrepreneur tech suite, AxisWire, as well as the Co-founder of Green Market Media which is currently most recognized for its cannabis finance news publication Green Market Report and its conference series Green Market Summit. She is also a Co-founder of the network Industry Power Women. KCSA Strategic Communications acquired her leading cannabis and hemp public relations firm Salar Media Group after being in operations for three years. She is a council member on Forbes Communications Council as well as a contributing writer for Entrepreneur Media on the leading women and business of cannabis. Cynthia also sits on the advisory board of the innovative hemp and sustainable hospitality company MoonCloth Designs. In 2018, Cynthia was nominated as Entrepreneur of the Year and CEO of the Year by her peers through Cashinbis, she was named by High Times as one of the 100 Women in High Places and featured by Dope Magazine as one of the “Outstanding Women in Cannabis”. In 2019, she was named as one of 15 of the most Powerful and Innovative Women in Cannabis by Forbes, one of 20 Women set to Dominate the International Landscape in Cannabis by Benzinga as well as named as one of the 20 Most Influential Women in Cannabis by High Times as well as GreenDorphin. Cynthia received her degree from the University of Pennsylvania, as well as a certificate in political journalism from Georgetown University.
Sam Arellano, Chief Marketing Officer, Canndescent
Sam Arellano is an accomplished, entrepreneur-minded executive and award-winning accelerator of lifestyle brands. He’s created and produced nationally recognized campaigns for some of the world’s leading brands including Nike, Red Bull, and Incase. A career marketing specialist, Sam’s 20 year work history spans men’s contemporary apparel, sporting goods and consumer electronics. In 2006 Sam co-founded Graphite Brand Design - a Los Angeles based creative agency focused on luxury goods, contemporary fashion and street culture. During his four years at Graphite, Sam secured major account wins including Agency of Record for leading Apple accessories brand, Incase. In addition, Sam led multimillion-dollar projects for Toyota, MTV, ROXY, Moleskine, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, and has worked with the world’s foremost street artists including KAWS, Evan Hecox and Shepard Fairey. In 2013 Sam served as Global Head of Marketing for Globe International – a publicly traded, $150M Australian surf and skate apparel company (ASX: GLB) – where he led the implementation of a dozen wholly-owned retail stores around the world. Additionally, Sam drove the execution of North American sales and marketing plans that increased sales 14% 2014-2015. Prior to joining Canndescent, Sam served as CMO for Lumos Labs – a Hong Kong based manufacturer of the world’s first smart bicycle helmet with integrated lights, hard brake, and turn signals. In 2018, Lumos was recognized by TIME Magazine as the world’s best invention for technology and mobility. Sam serves as advisor to technology start up MavFarm, Inc., makers of the Sho_w app - the first interactive mobile camera and shoppable video-sharing marketplace for art, music, and fashion enthusiasts; and to ICAN Los Angeles, a supported employment agency created to help mentally disabled young people find meaningful employment around LA.
Andreas Neumann, Chief Creative Director, Jushi Holdings Inc.
Andreas Neumann is Jushi Holdings Inc. (Jushi) Chief Creative Director, reporting directly to Jim Cacioppo, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Neumann and his team employ their expansive creative backgrounds in leading all creative, marketing and communication for Jushi, working closely with the executive team to initiate a "design thinking" transformation of the Jushi brand and its subsidiaries.
Neumann joins Jushi from Idean, a leading global design agency, where he served as Creative Director and Head of Content. Neumann was instrumental in building out Idean's U.S. footprint with new, key clients such as IBM, HP, Rolls Royce, Ericsson and others. The success of the U.S. expansion led to the sale of the agency to French consulting giant, Capgemini in 2017. Neumann has been an entrepreneur in the fields of advertising, entertainment, and technology for over three decades. After selling his award-winning film production company to Grey Advertising/WPP, he became the head of their European television department. Later, he co-founded multiple companies, including Songpeople, the UK's first digital-music research company, GUM, the branded-entertainment division of Saatchi & Saatchi London and Talenthouse, the Silicon-Valley-based social network for artists. Neumann has developed and launched digital lifestyle platforms for top-tier celebrities in music and fashion. His Hollywood-based production company Siouxx has produced award-winning content in film, print, and music. Neumann is also a rock photographer and has worked with some of the biggest names in the genre including: Queens of the Stone Age, Iggy Pop, Foo Fighters, ZZ Top, Lenny Kravitz and others. About Andreas's creative work, Josh Homme, Queens of the Stone Age, says, "Dre is a man of the present, looking straight into the future. He is the most in-the-now photographer I've ever worked with. He just believes if there's a problem, the problem's got a problem. That tireless energy is why we have such a high ratio of hits."
The State of the Cannabis Industry Report: A Deep Data Dive
This panel brings together executives from Flowhub, LeafLink and Vangst, three of the leading cannabis services.
The COVID-19 pandemic has sent shockwaves across the entire world, causing disruptions and alterations to everyday operations across all industries and business types - including cannabis. Across the U.S., shelter-in-place orders forced dispensaries to pivot to delivery and curbside pickup, expediting the shift from predominantly brick-and-mortar shopping experiences to e-commerce. Cannabis was deemed an essential service in most states where it is legal, giving power and affirmation to the legalization debate. Now, with uncertainty surrounding what “business as usual” looks like, cannabis companies must steady themselves for a wildly different and unpredictable future.
This panel brings together executives from Flowhub, LeafLink and Vangst, three of the leading cannabis services, to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on businesses and discuss trends that will alter the industry for the future. Based on their in-depth industry report, The State of the Cannabis Industry: 2020, the panelists will provide valuable and quantitative insights into the state of the cannabis landscape, corroborated by in-depth data analysis and survey responses from some of the largest and most respected companies in the industry. The data-packed panel will provide a comprehensive breakdown of the cannabis industry while touching on several key facets of the industrys: B2B relationships and ordering patterns, consumer preferences and purchasing habits, and human resources management.The coalition will also provide guidance and advice on the outlook for 2021.
Karson Humiston, Founder & CEO, Vangst: Karson Humiston is the Founder & CEO of Vangst, the cannabis industry’s recruiting platform. Since launching in 2016, Vangst has connected thousands of people with jobs at over leading cannabis businesses around the World. Karson was featured on the 2018 Forbes 30 under 30 list and Vangst was featured in Entrepreneur’s 100 Brilliant Companies of 2018. Prior to founding Vangst, Karson founded On Track Adventures, a student travel organization based out of St. Lawrence University.
Michael Hanson, Director of Data Science, Flowhub: Michael Hanson is the Director of Data Science at Flowhub with expertise in machine learning, natural language processing and statistical analysis to provide actionable intelligence to decision makers. Michael spent his career designing and building new processes for mining, production and visualization of databases. Prior to Flowhub, Michael worked at Echostar (a Dish subsidiary) as a criminal intelligence analyst, Convercent as a Data Scientist and with local Swiss police departments using data science to help discover patterns in criminal activities. Michael studied at the School of Criminal Sciences at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, where he wrote a thesis on developing a new process to analyze payment information in an effort to understand and prevent satellite piracy.
Alex Feldman, General Manager, LeafLink Insights: Alex Feldman is the General Manager of LeafLink Insights where he is responsible for product development and data monetization. He has 14 years of experience developing commercial relationships and building new products in media and technology. Prior to LeafLink, Alex worked as Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships at Comscore, a media measurement and analytics company. While there, he was responsible for structuring agreements with connected TV and streaming video platforms and leading new product development. He has also held senior positions at Comcast and Viacom in business development roles. Through his consulting practice, Night Heron, Alex worked with VICE, Wieden+Kennedy and other technology clients. From 2009-2012, Alex built and subsequently led the global forecasting division at ad holding company, Interpublic Group. He began his career as an analyst covering the Education and Advertising sectors for Merrill Lynch in New York. Alex received his Bachelors of Science in Finance with a Minor in Mathematics from N.Y.U’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business. He has served as Adjunct Professor of American Media at the City University of New York.
Content writing, copywriting and storytelling in the cannabis space.
Stories work. They sell products, educate, amuse, emote and explain. Good content always tells a story — short form and longform alike — so learning to tell yours effectively is something of a superpower. This panel of marketers, copywriters, journalists and editors will share their experiences telling stories across the cannabis space, and give tips and insights for brands to implement.
Join CMA and LPP for virtual happy hour where we will be writing letters to Last Prisoner Project's constituents!
The Last Prisoner Project (LPP) is a coalition of cannabis industry leaders, executives and artists dedicated to bringing restorative justice to the cannabis industry. LPP is dedicated to releasing cannabis prisoners and helping them rebuild their lives.
Join Cannabis Marketing Association and Last Prisoner Project for our Letter Writing Happy Hour on October 13. Attendees will hear from LPP's Managing Director, Mary Bailey, to learn about Last Prisoner Project's Letter Writing Program, how to get involved, and have the opportunity to write an LPP constituent a letter.
What to Write
The biggest hurdle to beginning a pen pal relationship is getting started. A suggestion for a first letter might include an intro with a short bio, an explanation of how you came to hear about your pen pal, hobbies, pets, music, activism, etc. Let them know that cannabis justice activists like yourself are fighting for their freedom! Don't forget, the prison mail system can be slow. Sometimes it takes several weeks to get a response.
Mailing Instructions
Plain white envelopes only
No stamps (other than postage stamps on the envelope), stickers, tape, glue, glitter, staples, paper clips, fragrances, crayon, ribbon, etc on the envelope or letter
No popup/out content
No address labels
All ingoing and outgoing mail is subject to inspection. Never include anything you wouldn't want staff to read
No drawings or markings that can be misconstrued as secret code or inappropriate content etc
Please realize that even if you do everything correctly, mail can be returned
Addressing the Envelope
Always include your pen pal's full name, six-digit prison ID#, institution name, address, and your full name and return address.
This event is free to everyone; however, $10 donations to Last Prisoner Project are suggested.
To learn more about Last Prisoner Project, visit https://www.lastprisonerproject.org/.
Become a CMA member at: https://staging.thecannabismarketingassociation.com/membership/
Highly Educated: How to Market Your Cannabis Brand
Join us on September 29th and discover how to use next-gen data to reach and engage in-market cannabis shoppers online and offline.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, there was a huge surge in cannabis e-commerce in Canada. Now that those measures have eased, footfall is bouncing back, and more stores means more sales. Join us on September 29th and discover how to use next-gen data to reach and engage in-market cannabis shoppers online and offline.
Key Takeaways:
Who is buying cannabis today?
What are the most effective ways to leverage the data available to you to reach cannabis consumers?
How can you use that data to activate traditional and programmatic advertising strategies?
Your host:
MiQ Digital - If you’re looking to use the power of data-driven insights to fuel your cannabis marketing, MiQ digital is the partner to help you. Our cannabis team are experts in the cannabis advertising space, and we’re helping brands use programmatic media to get better results, while also navigating the complexity of compliance.
Speakers:
Jim Davis, Head of Sales, MiQ Digital
Jim Davis is a media and marketing leader with an extensive background in the advertising and technology industry. He oversees key relationships with a number of strategic partners, driving the design and development of MiQ’s proprietary analytics platforms and media solutions.
Katie Pringle, Co-Founder, Marigold Marketing & PR
Katie is an integrated marketing expert with a deep understanding of the social and digital landscape and traditional media mix. She has extensive experience in lifestyle, entertainment & kids, with a specific focus on brands that speak to women.
Laura Morarity, SVP, Marketing & Communications, Leafly
Laura leads marketing, communications and content at Leafly, which includes both B2B and B2C marketing, corporate affairs and public relations. Prior to Leafly, she led the global communications and sustainability function at technology brand Sonos.