Populist Cannabis: Line of Affordable & Effective Cannabis To The People By The People
August 21, 2018 (Berkeley, CA)/AxisWire/ Populist Cannabis is dedicated to producing low-cost, high-quality cannabis products for everyone to enjoy. Formerly known as People’s Cannabis, Populist is an advocate for people of all income levels to access the potent effects of sustainably grown cannabis. If you’re looking for somewhere to belong in the wide array of newly legalized cannabis products—someplace like home—Populist is the brand for you.
What’s in a name, after all? Did you know Google was once called Backrub? EBay was AuctionWeb, Best Buy was Sound of Music, and Lyft was Zimride. The bottom line is that names have to change, often to differentiate a brand from its competitors. Changing your name can create potential for more returns down the line by making your concept immediately apparent to your customers. Staying nimble is a well-known tenet of business, especially when things change on a dime.
The name change from People’s to Populist comes at an important time for anyone involved in the cannabis business. As the legalities are often blurred in the cannabis trademark space, legal opinions vary about naming practices. Elvis McGovern, CEO of Populist, comments, “When we considered People’s in the beginning, we discovered People’s OC, which is a Southern California–based dispensary. Our lawyers said that since it was a dispensary, not a brand, there was no need to worry.” However, upon receiving a cease-and-desist letter from the SoCal dispensary, People’s needed to pivot, and fast.
The good news is the company’s new name, Populist, is better for the brand as a whole. “’People’s’ is a common word whose context is diluted in the mass markets,” McGovern says. “There are many other brands associated with ‘People’s.’” Populist is derived from the Latin word populus, which simply means “people,” so it is the perfect way to describe the brand that is building a movement for the new population who want to access cannabis and aren’t shy about it. “We’ve made it through this hurdle and are moving forward,” McGovern says. The Populist mission remains the same: consumption with confidence and without breaking the bank.
Populist launches through select dispensaries and delivery services throughout the Bay Area. The brand’s products will be available at select dispensaries and online delivery services in California.
Populist will adopt a proactive approach to helping committed fans of its thoughtfully produced products switch to the new name through the following sales and marketing initiatives:
• A brand ambassador program to roll out in the fall
• A six-figure marketing and advertising strategy
• Participation in California industry and consumer events in 2018 and 2019
• Promotional swag with the new brand name
• Updated website and social media channels
• Big online push to media, influencers, and consumers
• Seasonal events and parties with like-minded brands and businesses in California
For more information, contact Andrea Burnett, The 4Twenty Group, (650) 207-0917, andrea@4twentygroup.com.
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