A destination is a multi-faceted composite of products, services, and experiences unified in such a way that they create a unique, memorable experience. Why do we think of reggae and cannabis when we think of Jamaica? Or Champagne from the south of France? Why would a consumer product goods company brand itself with such complexity? Because a strong brand insulates itself from the threat of competition by reducing substitutability, and in a marketplace saturated with many [similar] destinations–and brands or products that represent those destinations–differentiation becomes a viable strategy.

Most shoppers—93% of them—make purchase decisions based on color and visual appearance. With a statistic like that, cannabis brand owners are spending time and money selecting the right colors for their logos, packaging, websites, and other brand assets in the race for buyers’ attention—the cannabis consumer.

The recent health movement and the mindset fueling it have changed the way we eat and think about our food and our food chain. Organic, non-GMO, gluten-free & pesticide free are trends that affect our eating habits as well as our health & wellbeing.

It’s a curious thing that a mere brand name can persuade us to engage emotionally with a product or company. Sometimes, we even develop an unwitting loyalty or long-lasting aversion to a brand, though we might know little about it. How is this possible? The old Shakespearian adage would have us believe that “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet” – but how does this really play out in the world of brand names?

The cannabis plant, and everything in it, is illegal under federal law. And even in states where it is legal, it is not legal to ship cannabis products from state to state or to leave the state with such a product. Even with its anti-THC bias, legislation should be passed to allow for better access to cannabis for research purposes, paving the way for scientific study and data that will allow for and bring clarity and balance to the discussion.