Artist of the day: Artists of the Day, July 23, 2022: Cannabis Package designers

Saturday, July 23, 2022

Artists of the Day, July 23, 2022: Cannabis Package designers

Marijuana is now legal in half of U.S. states, with more expected to follow, and this has led to a rapidly growing industry selling the product—whether for recreational or medical use. We have noticed the rise in cannabis-related businesses on the 99designs platform, where we’ve seen a 55% increase in design projects being created for these new brands in the past two years.

Whether or not cannabis is legal in your state, it’s not illegal for packaging design firms to work for cannabis customer. That said, if you are a designer, you may still want to consider if this is an area that you want to focus on going forward, if it fits with your own values and if it could be controversial with other clients.

If you do decide to work with cannabis companies, you’ll need to embrace an up-to-date interpretation and steer clear of the old clichés that can have more negative connotations. As in any logo and marketing design, you’ll also want to consider your target audience.

Here are five trends to look out for in cannabis branding and packaging:

1. Leafy imagery
2. Green in color and in ethos
3. A focus on health
4. Minimalism
5. Playing with stereotypes

1. Leafy imagery
The pointy leaf may be a cliché but it’s also an instantly recognizable icon; it’s the fastest way to make a product identifiable in store.

While many brands continue to use the cannabis leaf in their logos and packaging designs, they are usually doing so with a twist. Logos may use a modern, stylized version of the leaf, they may use other colors or they may combine it with other elements to modernize the design while still playing on this familiar theme.

2. Green in color and in ethos
There’s a general movement in society towards considering the impact we’re having on the environment, and cannabis users tend to particularly appreciate the product’s natural roots. Hopping on the “raw” and “organic” trend makes cannabis products especially up to date.

Muted greens and browns are used to indicate how natural these products are while the language used reflects this as well. We’re also seeing logos and designs that suggest an established heritage that gives the brand a certain distinction in the industry.

Although hemp and cannabis can be used interchangeably, strictly speaking, hemp comes from a plant that contains only trace amounts of the chemical compound THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive part of cannabis. This body lotion is 100% organic in a design by 99designs designer Martis Lupus.

3. A focus on health
With medical marijuana currently being more commonly accepted than recreational marijuana, there is a particularly large business opportunity here. Brands are tapping into the medicinal properties of their products and using medical or pharmaceutical symbols and colors to add legitimacy to their business and appeal to this segment of the market.

Look for the familiar medical cross shape and packaging that makes only the smallest hint at the origin of the product inside, as well as new formats including creams and tinctures.

4. Minimalism
Taking a minimalist approach to branding can give a business a more stylish and contemporary look. Clean and simple designs still fit well with the theme of relaxation and meditation but bring the brand into the new era.

These designs can look very different from the colorful designs we’re used to but, for that reason, they can also appeal to a new type of consumer. Stylish black-and-white designs can be particularly appropriate for the new high-end, high-quality products that are emerging.

5. Playing with stereotypes
Finally, yes, we did say at the start that you should steer clear of those stereotypes—but there is a trend in cannabis branding that involves a clever play on words or hinting at that counterculture of old. Where recreational cannabis is legal, brands can afford to be a bit more playful and make explicit references to the recreational use of the product. A bit of creativity and fun will help a brand to stand out from the growing competition.

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