Weed as a Way of Life

As more states legalize marijuana for medical and/or recreational use, much of the attention from a licensing perspective has been on celebrities (mainly musicians and chefs) lending their names to marijuana strains and related products, and on marijuana brands extending into foods, topical creams, smoking accessories, and the like.

Another growing opportunity centers on cannabis-related lifestyle products. Properties that resonate with marijuana aficionados, thanks to a relevant name or graphic design, are licensed not just for pot and paraphernalia, but for a wide variety of categories, from clothing to home décor.

These types of lifestyle properties can take a number of forms, such as:

• Magazine and content brands. High Times, published since 1974, is represented by United Talent Agency for film, television, and digital expansion as well as licensing, gaming, and collaborations. Meanwhile, DOPE Media, which bills itself as the Cannabis Lifestyle Brand, has launched products including vaporizer pens, oils, and pre-rolled joints; its flagship business is a lifestyle magazine.
• Themed design brands. Properties that capture the marijuana lifestyle through graphic design and catchphrases, largely originating as apparel, décor, and/or smoking accessories brands, are proliferating. While few have signed licensing deals to date, they seem likely to do so as they expand. Dozens of these brands exist, with Miss Mary Jane Co. (apparel, earrings, pipes) and Jacquie Aiche’s Sweet Leaf collection (hoodies, jewelry, pouches) representing just two examples.
• Pure lifestyle properties. These IPs are positioned for the purpose of lifestyle licensing, rather than being associated primarily with a particular product or service at the start. Pineapple Express, a marketing and branding consultant to the cannabis industry, has launched THC—named for the active ingredient in marijuana—as a lifestyle brand. The first licensing deal, brokered by The Sharpe Co., is with Putnam Accessory Group for a range of apparel.

Lifestyle properties such as these open doors for marketers to capitalize on the growing interest in marijuana culture through licensing, even if they do not have direct ties with the heavily regulated cannabis industry.