Logos are essential for businesses, whether it is a small one or a mega-business. A logo helps you:
Look more professional. Cannabis brands often need to go the extra mile to come across as professional, and a logo can help you accomplish that goal.
Tell your brand’s story. A well-designed logo is more than just a graphic: it tells your story and represents what your brand stands for.
Helps you stand out. The cannabis market is crowded, and having a distinctive logo can help you stand out from the crowd. It also makes it easier for loyal customers to quickly find your products when the shelves are lined with options.
Attracts new customers. When you design a logo, you want to make one that speaks to your target customer base. When done correctly, your logo will catch their eye, draw their attention, and convince them to give your brand’s products a try.
Cannabis Logo Challenges
Though having a logo is essential for cannabis businesses, this industry will face some unique challenges. Creating a thoughtful, unique logo and overall brand in the cannabis industry is more complicated –and perhaps even more important – than perhaps any other industry.
Cannabis companies have to comply with many rules and regulations at a federal and state level. Each state has its own requirements and rules regarding everything from where dispensaries can operate, packaging designs, what needs to be on a label, and even logos.
When it comes to making a logo, here are some rules to keep in mind:
Your logo cannot appeal to children. That means you will not be able to use a cartoon as a mascot in your logo. This can even impact the colors you chose as some states do not allow brands to use bright colors that will draw children’s eyes.
You may not be able to show a leaf or other cannabis accessories. Some states, such as Minnesota, Nevada, and Massachusetts, do allow brands to feature logos that have images of cannabis itself. Others restrict the use of pictures of things like bongs or other accessories in logos.
It needs to be versatile. As we mentioned, there are restrictions in place when it comes to not only your logo but also cannabis packaging. Many states require a lot of information to be on labels and packaging which can leave you limited space for your logo. You’ll want to create a logo that is easy to size up and down and that will remain distinctive.
If you need help keeping up with the logo rules you need to follow, consider hiring legal counsel to help. This can save you time and give you peace of mind that your logo is cannabis-compliant. Having legal counsel can help you as you work to trademark your logo as well.
Cannabis Logo Ideas
There’s a lot you can’t do when creating your cannabis brand logo, but there are still many things you can to create a unique and memorable logo that is legally compliant.
Here are some ideas to consider as you design your logo:
Stay away from the leaf image. Per the United States Patent and Trademark Office, 44 percent of cannabis users utilize the cannabis leaf on their logo. That’s a lot. Consider steering away from using the leaf as your main image so your logo stands out more.
Think outside the green box. Green is a popular color in the cannabis market because cannabis flowers are primarily green. But that doesn’t mean green is the only color you can use. Though green can be used and may help get your message across (if your company is focused on sustainability, for example, green is a good option), don’t be afraid to choose other colors to use on your logo.
Stay positive. Don’t use an image that can have a negative connotation with weed or that depicts underground, shady weed dealing of the past and present. Instead, use images that convey a powerful message or that represent the benefits of cannabis. Think of positive words that reflect your product and use those to help drive your logo creation.
Bring in professionals. If you don’t feel you have the creative license and equipment needed to design your own logo, hire a professional to help. Find one with experience in the cannabis industry as they’ll have a wealth of knowledge they can share. They can also work with you to learn more about your brand and create the perfect logo for you.
You Have a Logo, Now What?
Once you have your new logo, use it! You’ll obviously want to put it on your website, but you can also use it to create custom, branded packaging. You can even put your logo on accessories that you can hand out as part of your marketing.
Once you have your logo, you have an important piece of your brand’s identity. Be proud and use it to make your products and your name stand out.
