Our Work

The Goal

California was the first state to legalize medical cannabis and the fifth to legalize it recreationally. Ever since, it’s been a “budding” industry, especially in Los Angeles. With so many canna-brands, it can be hard to stand out, but leading distributor Pushr had plans to change how dispensaries operate completely: open a drive-up dispensary concept where people can pre-order and pick up products quickly without ever going inside a store. Our team's task? To create a visually stunning and iconic brand book.

The Challenge

We had two main goals with this branding challenge. The first was to tell a brand new story. Our client was about to open up a completely new cannabis concept, so we needed to develop a name, a visual identity, a language, etc. that clearly communicated their revolutionary business idea in an already saturated market. Not only was this a new concept for LA consumers, it was a new concept for the client; this was their first foray into the B2C market. Our second challenge was to ensure legal compliance. We needed to ensure that their fun, funky, youthful idea was appealing to adults but not kids, and we had to support them through the legality of “drive-thru” terminology and copywriting. (Good thing we have a lawyer at our helm!)

The Services

• Branding Strategy
• Brand Book Development
• Packaging Design
• Location Scouting
• Launch Event Strategy

The Results

Through a number of Mindmap exercises and extensive research, we developed an accessible, contemporary and straightforward brand identity with a strong visual language and roots in pop culture. Visually, the brand is a contemporary take on ‘50s malt shop design to bridge the past and the future of cannabis, and the packaging of the outcome-based products was inspired by the changing clouds of dusk, day and dawn. All content was centered around serving great cannabis to good people in a fast-casual delivery model. The name, Cherry Stop, was a combination of “cherried bowls” and the drive-in “stops” of the mid-20th century. Our team had so much fun digging into the visual, content and strategic parts of this brand identity, and we were so pleased with the results!

In less than three months, we created research-based consensus around their marketing and branding goals, developed a “vibe of brand” that resonated with their target audience, made a few pivots here and there, and then created a comprehensive launch strategy so Cherry Stop could successfully open their doors in late 2022.

The Feedback

“They ask the right questions and turn information into creative solutions that make us feel proud and excited.” – Linda Ripoll