Samantha Ford’s 2019 Predictions for Women in Cannabis

Samantha Ford, SVP of Business Development – Cannabis, outlines her predictions for trends relating to women in cannabis in 2019.

Cannabis is no longer being pushed for pure potency. In general, the industry is recognizing that there is such a broad range of demographics that encompasses cannabis consumers. Marketing to women specifically is a massively untapped market that is gaining heavy traction at the moment. There are myriad badass women in the industry recognizing the potential and growing incredible companies. Women-run cannabis businesses are on the rise and I see no slowing down ahead.

I think the first trend to point out is marketing via the products themselves. The products are being formulated with women in mind. There are a variety of ailments and stressors that are women-specific and many companies are creating products to address these particular issues. I’m seeing products for women and by women and i think that messaging alone holds powerful marketing potential.

I think, for the industry as a whole, aesthetics is just one of the methods these companies are using to convey a clear message and women are really responding to that. Kiva confections, for example, focuses on chocolate. They position their product to satisfy needs in the wellness and dietary space and that seems to resonate with women. Kiva Confections produces documents that address sleep and wellness-centric issues and they are one of the major companies driving women-focused marketing.

Another company making waves in this space is Kikoko. Founded in 2015, Kikoko is one of the initial companies to deliberately focus its cannabis product offering and messaging on women. The founders, also women, wanted a product that offers a soothing and inviting experience that was practical for daily use. They understand the needs of women as well as cannabis’ role in the wellness space to produce beautifully curated cannabis-based tea.

Contrary to that would be a visit to MedMen. This is a total bro club. It is a very different purchasing experience. That’s where I see a major gap in the space. We need more women-driven dispensary experiences and overall dispensaries. I would love to see a dispensary for women to show up in the marketplace that really and truly focuses on women.

]]>

Share This