CURALEAF CASE STUDY
Curaleaf
Creative Director
Mikulec & Sarkozy
When the state of CT began its medical marijuana program in 2013 it sought to be the most stringent in the nation. There were many hurdles each applicant needed to pass to gain a producers license. We were tabbed to brand one of the 16 applicants. Of the 16 - 4 would be chosen based on a multitude of criteria. We were intrigued by the opportunity to define the branding standards in what was an entirely new industry. Our primary goal was to position the brand as one that educated the public about the potential benefits as a mainstream palliative alternative.
To achieve this goal we aligned the brand closer to more traditional pharma companies rather then play to cliches and stereotypes. We embraced a soft but professional tone to reach doctors and patients who otherwise may be skeptics. We aimed to create a brand that could be informative and caring. The first step was naming the new company. Curaleaf was our solution; 'Cura', latin for care, paired with 'Leaf', with the phonetic 'Relief' and 'Cure' worked into it. Our logo was custom drawn to position the new brand as contemporary and with a positive and thoughtful message. In January 2014 Curaleaf was awarded its license. The marketing score was highest of the 16 applicants.
After a study of naming conventions in both the pharma and cannabis industries a diametrical structure was created. 'Lunora' for night time relief and 'Primora' for daytime. 'Ora' was chosen as the root for its time connotation, as well as the phonetic connection to 'Aura'. To coincide with the position of aligning closer to a pharma model, the names were purposely intended to sound more relatable to a wider audience.
The typeface CURA was created to aid in the positioning of the brand as approachable and comforting while also creating a completely ownable element.
We paired CURA with the font Chalet for more of the heavy lifting.
The Curaleaf logo with pharma brands.
Custom Font
Product Naming
Advertising Strategy
Our strategy for advertising was to put a face on the people who found relief from their
conditions using medical cannabis. These were real individuals who were touched by the treatment and found the care they needed when traditional options were either not working or causing side effects that made their lives more challenging
Along with the patients we highlighted testimonials of Dr's whom had success treating their patients with this type of treatment.
Educational Materials
In the state of CT patients are only able to purchase their medicine after it has been processed from its original flower stage. This brochure was giving individuals a look into the process from plant to product to create an awareness of the stages and of the quality of flower that Curaleaf grows.
A series of powerpoint templates were produced to equip brand ambassadors during symposiums and educational outreach efforts with the medical community.
For part of our digital strategy we proposed an APP that would help aid the patients and Dr's during treatment. Our social media strategy was to create an open forum that was primarily educational and routinely setup times where Q&A's could be held virtually. Responsiveness was paramount as was accuracy of the message.
The website was proposed to educate and aid in steering qualified patients to the right places to seek the care they needed as well as giving Dr's the proper information to become registered caregivers.
Internal Branding
Product
Dispensaries were an important part in the process. We supplied them with materials such as digital and printed menus to make their jobs easier and increase awareness to the patient in a clear and practical manner.
