Quickly building an approachable yet creative Delta-9 cannabis brand.
PROJECT
Brand Development and Launch
PARTNER
Mods
ASSIGNMENT
Brand Strategy
Brand Messaging
Brand Identity
Logo Design
Graphic Design
Brand Guidelines
Package Design
Media Kit
Lifestyle Photography
Product Photography
Website Design
Shopify Website Development
―
Launching a Delta-9 cannabis brand in a state where THC is still often stigmatized isn’t for the faint of heart. But Mod’s founders understood the pursuit of innovation has long been intertwined with substances that inspire, enhance focus, and promote creative thinking. Building off this tradition, the Mods team formulated a product that utilized a unique combination of low-dose ingredients specifically designed to elevate creativity, with the goal of bridging the gap between cannabis-curious and seasoned veterans alike.
The creative process is something we’re no strangers to, so when the founders chose Unlisted to create an entire brand, packaging, photography and e-commerce website for a product focused on creatives, we couldn’t wait to jump right in. With each step of brand development under the Unlisted roof, we were able to set up the most efficient process — including timelines seamlessly overlapping on deliverables — ultimately landing Mods products on the market as quickly as possible
A brand for creatives, by creatives.
Our challenge was to create a brand identity that appealed to customers who were new to THC products without alienating customers who’ve done their fair share of dabbling. Many weed brands pay homage to the ’60s and ‘70s by using psychedelic fonts and tie-dye color palettes, so we set out to take a completely fresh approach. The result was a brand identity that was modern without being too trendy, dynamic enough to expand across a vast product range and striking enough to stand out on retailer’s shelves.
LOGO DEVELOPMENT
The logo needed to fully embody the brand's mission and identity even when displayed on its own. We achieved this by starting with a modern typeface and slightly modified (get it?) each letter in a subtle way to make it more organic and ownable. The ability of the logo to scale for the various packaging and digital applications was also critical.
PATTERNS AND GRAPHICS
We discovered that one of the biggest barriers for first-time users is their fear of dosing and what the effects will be. To lighten the mood, we created a series of playful illustrations to help quickly show just how much modification first-time customers can expect to have- from slightly elevated to full god mode.
Packaging designed to be judged by its cover.
Refreshingly retro,
boldly understated.
In industries where legislation is constantly changing and decriminalized overnight, dragging your feet can make the difference between a brand’s success or failure. Equally important is creating a brand identity and packaging that stands out on the shelf without being too foreign or disruptive, but also is dynamic enough to translate to a quickly-evolving and expanding product line.
PHOTOGRAPHY
A custom library of branded photography faster than you can say “Mods”.
Photography is often the first introduction to a brand, so it’s imperative that it upholds the look, feel and attitude of its products. This is why we always encourage our clients to shoot their brand and product photography in Unlisted’s studio as a seamless part of their brand conception.
Our approach to photography is simple: make it on-brand, super sexy and really fast. Like most of the photoshoots we do, Mods was virtually overseen by the client, meaning the product is either shipped, dropped-off/picked-up and the shots are approved remotely in real-time. This allows us to prop shop and test lighting on our time. Then shoot, approve, edit and transfer photos in less than 48 hours, all while the client can focus on running their business.
Who says a website has to choose between form and function?
A beautiful website that quickly drives customers to the checkout is considered by some to be an oxymoron. When designing the Mod’s website (and all our e-commerce sites), we begin with the industry's best e-comm platform and then fully customize a template to be unique and representative of the brand. The result is a fully-functional online shopping experience that converts as fast as it turns heads, all designed and developed in record time.
A media kit: the often overlooked secret weapon of brand launch.
With the complicated nature of regulated cannabis marketing, a comprehensive media kit becomes even more critical to help a new brand break through in retail and direct sales. We created an easy-to-share media kit containing brand/product/regulatory information to help Mods streamline media and press exposure for their products without infringing on the promotional regulations of Facebook, Instagram and Google.
WRAPPING THINGS UP