MOGON
MOGON is a legal, high potency THC tincture designed to get stoners stoned again.
Brand Stratetgy & Visual Identity Development
The Challenge: Led by extensive consumer research and after over six months of R&D with specialized cannabis nano-emulsion, MOGON was among the highest potency legal cannabis products on the market when it launched in 2021. Initially a single product brand targeting a mostly Gen-Z demographic, MOGON’s branding drew inspiration from modern streetwear style and the rave scene of the early 2000’s.
The Results: Collaborating with talented Graphic Designer Alexis Sepkovic, we knew typography and iconography were the focus of the core visual identity. We played with multiple font applications of the core word mark and let fun fonts lead the branding overall. Secondary icons played a big role in the branding as well, drawing from party flyers from the late 1990s and early aughts. A central icon became the brand mascot and vehicle for marketing.
Hype It: Marketing & Sales
MOGON is not your neighborhood weed brand. It exists to get stoners stoned again. The brand set out to capture a younger audience, so I knew we needed a marketing plan that would stick. Using a strategic hype marketing plan with bifurcated activities, we hit the streets like any “dope” sneaker-head brand would.
Mr MOGON, a cat-like character, was the brand personified. Presented in surprising places (on packaging, in marketing materials, on wheat-paste billboards papered across LA in a guerilla-marketing style blitz) he took consumers on a journey through the brand world and into “DEEP”, which was both the name of the first product and a metaphor for the magical locale consumers would venture to as a result of consuming the drink.
A Virtual Trip: Brand Website & Hotline
The website created another important experiential touchpoint and layer of intrigue. Landing on the webpage brought consumers to a video and into the “vortex” of the brand. Once in, viewers were inundated with humorous content, trippy animations, free downloads, public playlists and frequent giveaways.
In addition, we built 1-800-GET-MOGON, a gamified, dial-your-adventure hotline where people could call in and, by selecting from the available options, would be taken through different doorways of experience; to hear humorous stories about getting to high, listen to an epic song recording, submit a funny stoner tome and engage with the brand in new and ever-changing ways.
Business Operations
Beyond creating and launching a fun, cool cannabis brand, the brand’s founder needed support for all day-to-day activities of the company. As the fractional COO/CMO, I oversaw the cannabis manufacturing licensing process and collaborated with legal to ensure continued compliance along the entire supply chain. In addition I developed and implemented an omni-channel sales channel, growing sales 60% MOM from launch.