Marketing legal cannabis in Canada has not been easy. Strict marketing regulations in the Cannabis Act (which basically add up to you can’t) have made it hard for cannabis companies in Canada to create recognizable and trustworthy brands.

Basically, there is a ban on the “promotion” of cannabis, cannabis accessories or services, which includes communicating price, using people, characters, animals or testimonials. Even certain colours or designs are a no-go depending on their likelihood of appealing to a young person or associating with a lifestyle. It’s … complicated.

Ironically, as you may have noticed from seeing California cannabis companies display their messaging everywhere, it’s much harder to promote cannabis here in Canada, where it is federally legal, than it is in the U.S., where it is still illegal on a federal level. This is why you may be quicker to recall an American cannabis brand, like Willie’s Reserve or Lord Jones, than a Canadian one.

Partly due to the same marketing regulations, it has been much harder for head shops and cannabis accessory shops to advertise their goods — pipes, and bongs and vaporizers — in the post-legalization world, many of them struggling to keep their businesses open.

You may be quicker to recall an American cannabis brand, like Willie’s Reserve or Lord Jones, than a Canadian one. Pictured above, High Five Pack by Willie’s Reserve.

Because of these challenges cannabis companies in Canada have been forced to turn to a number of creative initiatives to get the word out, and the silver lining of the whole thing may be hiding somewhere in that creativity.

One brand that has recently caught some buzz for their unique take on branding is Kolab Project. The licensed producer and provider of medical cannabis, which is wholly owned by Auxly Cannabis Group Inc.,  has chosen to stay compliant by embracing a minimalist approach to design. What looks a lot like the Loblaw No Name generic brand, Kolab Project’s aesthetic is simply a yellow background with an even simpler black font and barcode – that’s it.

On the Kolab website, a product containing three Sativa pre-rolls from $15.99 is labelled KR-00059, while their Green Gospel cultivar is known as KR-00016. Simplistic is an understatement with this brand, but it’s purposeful and smart; it is hard to argue 00016 somehow alludes to a lifestyle, yet somehow it is memorable. Kolab is honing in on this anti-brand concept with flair.

A better way to get noticed is through Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. For instance, in support of Cannabis Amnesty, luxury cannabis accessory shop Verde Vie has created #BurntheStigma campaign. Photo: Cannabis Amnesty via Instagram

And Kolab isn’t the only cannabis project to get creative while reaching out to consumers. Perhaps an even better way to get noticed is through Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. Take for example the recent month-long partnership between the iconic head shop, The Friendly Stranger and Cannabis Amnesty, which raised money for the organization during the retailer’s 25th anniversary sale. As well, online luxury cannabis accessory shop Verde Vie has created the #BurntheStigma campaign -— also in support of Cannabis Amnesty — donating all proceeds until Nov. 17.  And speaking of Cannabis Amnesty, last summer Aurora donated $50,000 dollars to the organization, and I still haven’t forgotten.

Honestly, I don’t mind that cannabis companies have to get creative and be extra thoughtful in the ways they communicate with people.  I don’t want corporations highlighting certain lifestyles or using celebrities to hawk a completely inauthentic service. I just wish other industries — alcohol, automotive, beauty — were subject to the same standards. In this way, I hope the cannabis industry and its creative advertising projects will influence other markets to rise to a higher standard of promotion.