Mike Wood

This could be the sign we have been waiting for to file intent-to-use trademark applications for cannabis. This indication from the DEA would allow for a bona fide intent to file an intent-to-use application for cannabis goods and services, as the current rejections based on the CSA should not apply after the rescheduling. There might be new office actions under the FDCA, but this is a reasonable time to consider acting on trying to protect cannabis-related trademarks. #trademarks #cannabis #intellectualproperty #uspto https://lnkd.in/gy7-HubW

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Approach PR-Marketing, Marketing-Sales, Sales-Customer Success as if you are the customer, because at in the end it’s ALL about the customer or else your just another salesperson. In 2024 and years to come customers will become hyper aware of which brands are authentic and which are just out for quick cash. Yes I just said that, meaning $ shouldn’t be your driving force because if it is, you just built your house upside down.

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Building a true brand-driven MSO   Most cannabis executives and sector analysts concur: Winning MSOs will be brand-driven. Great, but what does that mean in practice and how do you get there?   A strong brand is more than a logo or THC level. It is a promise of value reliably delivered to consumers – and, if done right, a provider of strong margins and sustainable advantage for producers.   I've worked with some of the biggest consumer & B2B brands in the world (e.g., P&G, Merck, AmEx) plus many ambitious Canadian and US weed brands.   Here's what I learned in cannabis. It doesn’t matter how many CPG people you hire, the amount of executive ‘happy talk’ or how much money you throw around.   Great brands will emerge from the creation of a brand development engine that forms the core of how a firm competes. This engine is built on a foundation of strategic clarity, an unwavering focus on channel & consumer needs and the assembling of enabling capabilities such as market research & analytics, innovation, and product line management.   One MSO that is dialed into this advanced thinking is Ayr Wellness.   Ayr’s go-to-market strategy is based on the notion of a ‘flywheel’. This is an understanding that the company is simultaneously seeking to be a retailer of choice and a house of sought-after CPG-like brands. Their operational ‘secret sauce’ includes quickly capturing and leveraging market & consumer learnings, ensuring quality throughout the supply chain and designing the ideal consumer brand portfolio and experience.   This approach seems obvious, but it is not. Many MSOs plan/execute their retail and brand strategies in silos, thereby increasing complexity, hindering learning and challenging cost minimization efforts.   For Ayr’s differing brand and retail strategies to work, they need to support one another and leverage available synergies. For example, Ayr’s CPG brands need strong equity and a unique identity, and not be seen as ‘me too’ house brands. Ayr has rationalized its brand portfolio from 12 single-form factor brands to 2 core brands that cross form factors to ensure that each provides a differentiated value proposition and carries a strong physical and digital presence. When done successfully, brands can become a driver for retail, much like carrying Coca Cola is de rigueur for any grocery chain.   On the other side of the flywheel, Ayr’s strong retail platform gives them the ability to launch/build brand equity through readily available shelf space, a supportive retail service team and direct access to market data. The retail brand is being built to convey clear positioning and resonating pillars and focused on generating customer loyalty.    When fully developed, Ayr’s flywheel could powerfully drive corporate performance, including delivering market-leading brands, service levels and margins. 🔔Hit that follow bell to always get my unique, impactful content #cannabisindustry #MSOS #branding #cannabis #marketing #AyrWellness

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#Cannabis Media Council publishes 2024 advertising guidelines report | "The Cannabis Media Council just released its 2024 report titled “Full Spectrum: Guidelines for Responsible Cannabis Advertising” | Green Market Report

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Cali Cannabis Brands May Take Over but Maybe Not Cali Firms Californian (and BC) weed brands have a well-earned image and mojo – which will soon come under serious attack.  The foe is in plain sight:  shrewd MSOs & LPs who will use marketing precepts to beat the West Coasters at their own game.     In cannabis few brand values count more than pedigree, exclusivity, and authenticity. West coast brands have this in spades backed up by plenty of expertise and genetics. However, right now any MSO or LP can freely copy (with slight modifications) or create their own ‘Cali’ style brands.  As I type, I can sense the outrage and pushback by some.  Read on. Yes, true authenticity and community is not easily replicable to a connoisseur.  But for much of the current market as well as most future consumers, it’s a different story.  According to research, they care far less about the 'real thing' if their other needs are being satisfied.    The producer payoffs are great if you get it right.  To wit, the supply of Louis Vuitton handbags is small and exclusive.  Conversely, the market for fast-fashion Chinese knock offs is much bigger.  We’ve already seen Cali-inspired brands (e.g., Aurora’s San Rafael '71). However, these were early efforts, launched without deep consumer knowledge and constrained by onerous branding regulations.  This track record should not breed complacency.  Consider what’s going in the UK beer industry. Madri, a fake Spanish lager is eating share leader Carlsberg’s business. Madri has been criticized for marketing itself as “the soul of Madrid” despite being brewed in Yorkshire by Molson Coors.  The boss of Estrella Galicia, which has brewed beer in the Spanish region of Galicia for more than 100 years accused Madri of a “lack of transparency” over its heritage. This spat is part of a larger row around other so-called world beers that are actually brewed in the UK for British drinkers.  The Italian lager Birra Moretti, for instance, is brewed by Heineken in Manchester, while San Miguel, which was founded in the Philippines but is based in Spain, is made by Carlsberg in Northampton. Brand cooption is widespread in consumer goods.  For example, Haagen Daz is not a craft European brand;  it was invented in the Bronx in 1960.  Fashion accessories Parfois (French for "sometimes") is actually a Portuguese company.    Importantly, copycat brands don’t have to be great or authentic but rather skillfully created and able to create strong product-market fit. Countering this threat requires proactive effort including: 1. Establishing/meeting regional appellation programs & quality standards; 2. Creating IP-driven differentiation and; 3. Sustained, effective investments in brand building not only to protect but also build on home field advantages.    Let’s talk.  I help firms address these threats and capitalize on growth opportunities. #cannabis #brands #cannabisindustry #MSOs #beer #alcohol #LPs #California #BC 

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Good morning California Cannabis Industry, Today, in the economic evolution of cannabinoids (both cannabis and help), there's one question remaining: WHO WON THE RACE TO THE BOTTOM?  I'd love to hear your thoughts.  

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Cannabis Firms:  What’s the easiest way to set fire to your cash and screw your operations? Be really bad at procuring big ticket items. Cannabis companies are infamous for blowing money, particularly early in their life or right after large cash infusions.  The examples are legion:  over building facilities, installing enterprise-wide IT systems that weren’t fit for purpose and; buying equipment that never ends up being used.  Anyone with a front row seat would have their share of horror stories.  Moreover, it’s not just about wasting money. Buying the wrong stuff can compromise your operations, introduce complexity and end up being a major distraction. Smart procurement is a strategic necessity today.  Capital is scarce and expensive; the complexity and pace of business has never been higher and; institutional memory and talent is often lacking. Causes of the profligacy - Many enterprises don’t have a procurement strategy (did they know they needed one?) not to mention proper controls, budgets, evaluation tools and managerial oversight (when and where it matters). - Procuring complex kit like IT can be hard when you are under-resourced and inexperienced. Canvass many cannabis businesses right now and you will not find a surfeit of commercially minded, financially literate people. - A lack of discipline.  It’s easy to be a spendthrift when your bank account is full of cash and ‘speed’ is the corporate mantra.  Employees also tend to neglect poorly-enforced procurement rules. Becoming a good buyer is about being cost effective, ensuring product & service availability and choosing the right products & vendors. The solution Addressing this competency gap necessitates a two-part fix.  Ideally, your fix will be part of a procurement strategy and rule book. > Apply common sense rules 1. For big CapEx projects, insist on multiple vendors with client references. 2. Stipulate that purchased systems adhere to industry standards.   3. Reduce the number of vendors to capture volume discounts, secure better terms and develop partnerships.  Never single source any large purchase so you are beholden to one company. 4. Don’t scrimp on maintenance or support. 5. Lock down custom builds so they don’t deviate at the last minute or during the implementation. > Institutionalize 6. Craft, codify and implement procurement rules - and make sure they are enforced. 7. Insist on quoting and negotiating transparency on major projects. 8. Require multi-department and senior level sign off (including Boards) on big purchases. I can help your firm go on a CapEx diet while you still build operational muscle mass and delight your customers. 🔔 Hit that follow bell to always get my unique, impactful content #cannabisindustry #MSOS #LPS #procurement #CapEx #cannabis #buying #operations

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The California State Fair is set to allow marijuana sales and consumption this July, making history by legalizing cannabis sales on its grounds for the first time. The announcement comes as marijuana has been legalized across various states in the U.S. Moreover, the California Assembly approved a bill to legalize cannabis cafes in the state last month, including live musical or other performances in the consumption area. "This initiative spotlights the significant role of cannabis in California's agricultural industry, marking a major milestone in the state fair's 170-year history," James Leitz, executive producer of the Cannabis Competition and Exhibit, said. "Expanding the competition to include all form factors and providing patrons the opportunity to directly engage with and consume winning brands is transformational for public understanding of the plant." During the annual event, taking place from July 12 to 28, adults 21 and older will be able to review different cannabis products and learn about the state's cannabis history in "a major step forward for responsible normalization". read more....👇 #rttnews #cannabis #marijuana #marijuanalegalization #marijuanaincalifornia #legalmarijuana #legalcannabis #marijuanaawareness #cannabisawareness #cannabiscompetition #cannabisfarming #marijuanafarming #california #californiastatefair

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Reimagining Corporate Value: What is a Cannabis Firm? This is not a trite or academic question.  I am talking about leveraging your assets and brand beyond your current way of making money. For example, some cannabis enterprises like Cookies do a big business in apparel and merchandise in addition to selling weed and operating stores.  While many pundits will criticize this brand extension strategy it is worthy of consideration for certain MSOs/SSOs. There are numerous examples of non-cannabis firms pursuing this strategy. In the real world… Ikea is the largest furniture retailer in the world and the 6th largest food chain globally, in part because they sell over a billion meatballs annually. Chick-fil-A plans to launch a streaming service.  They are currently developing a slate of "family-friendly" shows that will launch sometime next year. Interestingly, Airbnb, Walmart and Lyft have their own streaming plans. A while back, Air Canada discovered that its Aeroplan loyalty program was worth far more than the entire airline (Aeroplan was eventually spun off). Coming to cannabis For understandable reasons, it’s hard for most cannabis executives to look beyond the next quarter or capital raise.  Disruptive and ambitious strategists, however, are playing a different game. I doubt anyone saw Chick-fil-A get into streaming but in hindsight it makes a lot of sense when you consider their limits to growth and challenging market dynamics.  The move is all about harnessing customer data and generating advertising revenue.  For Ikea, the plan was always to leverage store traffic and keep them shopping, longer.   Uber (cannabis) and Amazon (hemp) are knocking at the cannabis door while Google and Apple already have most of the key pieces in place to compete in our space (I wrote earlier on this). Here’s a prediction:  A few years from now, some of the most successful weed companies won’t sell much weed.  They will derive most of their market value from non-plant touching assets. Making it happen Some will say this fanciful notion and off strategy.  But… MSOs own real estate that could be monetized in different ways. Many are collecting troves of consumer data from walk-in and online traffic. These consumers are in the sweet spot for marketers: young, hip and spenders. Other firms are creating cool 'lifestyle' brands.    Size is not necessarily the key factor. The smaller but more visionary SERHANT real estate brokerage outflanked its bigger rivals to secure a reality show on Netflix ('Owning Manhattan'). These pivots are complicated.  A strategic thinking exercise should focus on deeply understanding your consumer, uncovering your latent assets and connecting the two via monetizable products & services.    Its strategy development time. Let’s talk about how to reimagine corporate value and monetize some of your assets and brands. #cannabis #cannabisindustry #disruption #strategy #MSOS

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ALCOHOL RETAILERS TAKE NOTE: USING A DELIVERY SERVICE COMES WITH CERTAIN RISKS Last week, the Washington State Liquor & Cannabis Board (WSLCB) cited a local wine and spirits store for selling liquor to a minor. The citation shocked the owners and their employees because they were certain they had never sold alcohol to a minor in their store. It turns out the violation actually was committed by the retailer’s contracted delivery service because a driver for the delivery company failed a WSLCB alcohol delivery compliance check. A state regulator purchased spirits from the retailer online; a delivery driver picked up the alcohol and delivered it to an 18-year-old man at the purchaser’s address, even though the ID tendered by the recipient to the driver clearly showed he was under 21 years of age.  The result: a retailer with a spotless compliance record was forced to pay a $1000 fine or suffer a ten day suspension of its license. The cited retailer feels unfairly punished, insisting that its contract with the delivery service guaranteed that every recipient of a delivery would be ID checked to assure a lawful consumer. However, the retailer failed to appreciate that under Washington State’s alcohol laws a spirits retail licensee is ultimately accountable for all deliveries of liquor made on its behalf. This is nothing new. The Massachusetts Supreme Court set this precedent back in 2008, with its decision in eVineyard Retail Sales-Massachusetts, Inc. v. Alcoholic Beverages Control Com'n., 450 Mass. 825, 882 N.E.2d 334 (Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, March 18, 2008). In that case, which also involved a lawful internet sale of wine followed by an unlawful delivery to a minor, the Court found that the licensed retailer made the sale and was responsible for the alcohol’s safe and lawful delivery, regardless of what its agent promised contractually. Alcohol regulators have jurisdiction, and the concomitant power of enforcement, over licensees, not contractors. Unlike retailers, existing beverage delivery services typically are unlicensed by the reigning alcohol regulatory agency. Consequently, when violations occur, such as deliveries to a minor or an intoxicated person, the regulators look to their licensee for accountability. As more and more alcohol beverage purchases occur online, it is important for licensed retailers to know the laws in their markets.   #ALCOHOLDELIVERY #INTERNETLIQUORSALES #LIQUORRETAILERLIABILITY #LIQUORDELIVERYFAILURE

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COLD OPEN: “There just isn’t enough time.” TITLE SEQUENCE: BrandDOPE is back up. Plus, a journey to Ozone, one of the nation's biggest cannabis brands. ARTICLE BEGINS: I started a newsletter about cannabis brands & marketing, and it was getting traction. There was no real monetization path, but that’s ok. The work was largely a creative exercise; it kept me current, catalyzed good thinking in my other work, and reconnected me with some great people  But the math wasn’t mathing. But between research and writing, articles took well over twelve hours apiece. I had consulting gigs, startup responsibilities, prospecting, maybe a health issue, definitely a demanding dog, and oh, yeah: a family. “There just isn’t enough time,” I pissed and moaned. The newsletter had to slide. But it gnawed at me. I mulled. And as is often the case, the unlock ended up coming from the barrier itself. I didn’t have enough time to dive deep into these brands. But guess who else doesn’t have enough time to dive deep into these brands? Everyone. <Continued on BrandDOPE> https://lnkd.in/g4cnHhH7 

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More pot lounges are coming to California. Sacramento just gave the greenlight to 40 more cannabis lounges. What's interesting to me is that this was a contentious vote, with a tied city council, yet the mayor ended up siding in support of pot lounges. That came even though public health leaders had testified against the businesses. Is this a sign of new cannabis openness among California's leaders? These are basically lite cannabis cafes. The new pot lounges can't prepare food on site, but they can sell pre-packaged foods. https://lnkd.in/gCmw3PwY

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This is Me on July 17, 2013 after a 7-day trial. On this day in history, California Courts lost their first Cannabis Triple Felony Cannabis case as I walked out of the courtroom with 12 Unanimous NOT GUILTY verdicts. Their 100% winning streak of destructing families and lives like mine was over. Despite the history made it was also bittersweet. The pic is a selfie taken at the gas station after the trial to commemorate the occasion. NO MEDIA showed up to cover the landmark case. I invited every Cannabis Media outlet, Non-Profit group, Magazine, Mainstream Media outlet, Local Newspaper, ...heck I think I was trying to get a dude from the paper to come in and check it out. Because of that fact: My Judges cheated and held a trial against voter-approved laws. The sheriff lied to make a trial happen and again on stand. The DA was happy to participate and prosecute in an illegal trial. THEN: Cannabis did not have a voice, group, or platform to COVER/DOCUMENT/PUBLISH my (or any) historic efforts in Cannabis. NOW: U.S. WEED CHANNEL 's channel apps reach 145 countries on Roku/AppleTV/AndroidTV/iOS and Play mobile stores/LG/SAMSUNG. - USWC social pages are all approved to promote and monetize. - USWC may be the first approved canna-related Google AdWords and AdSense Publisher. - USWC can monetize all Canna content creators and influencers. Oh, and... - USWC owns America's first 3 publicly issued and Cannabis-related Intellectual Properties. - Meaning, USWC is the first safe and legal Canna-related platform ready for Mainstream Advertisers. My mission is for Freedom Of Cannabis Media to protect our people and their families. USWC has gotten this far on the Power Of One. If you feel its time your brand become part of the inspiring story of U.S. WEED CHANNEL get in touch to see how easy that is as well. ✨ 🤝 ✨ Ps. Dig my rebel Zig-Zag "CHANGE" t-shirt I wore under my suit and tie. If I was going down it was going to be IN STYLE. 😎 #powerofone #to #powerofmany #historic #winning #StrategicPartner #MediaPartner #usweedchannel #is #cannabis #television #dont #pokethebear

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Is the era of California's lead in progressive cannabis policy about to end? #cannabis #cannabislaw #cannabisindustry #hemp #hemplaw #hempindustry #THC #CBD #d8 #d9 #THCO #THCA #innovations #law #policy #CDPH #Gavinnewsom #california #CAcannabis

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What might a "free market" look like assuming cannabis was completely descheduled at the Federal level, inter-state commerce became reality, and the traditional capital and financial sources were actively funding? See California......... Regulatory compliance burdens, 280E crushing Federal tax loads, state/local taxes/fees, & customer pricing pressures are all adding fuel to the fire of California market concentration. Well-funded, large-scale firms clearly have an advantage when it comes to withstanding the strong, volatile headwinds in the legal cannabis space. At some point in time, the big boys are gonna get even bigger, and the little dudes will have their hands full trying to survive. Especially the struggling social equity license holders. #cannabismarketconsolidation #cannabismarketconcentration

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