81% of consumers need to trust a brand before they’ll even consider buying from it.
But what happens when your industry is built on a shaky foundation—one full of stigma, skepticism, or confusion? That’s cannabis. And yet, some of the sharpest, most strategic brand-building I’ve seen is happening here… because it has to.

There’s no legacy trust to coast on. No Nike or Apple to borrow credibility from. Cannabis brands must earn legitimacy from scratch. In doing so, they’ve developed a blueprint for building trust through branding—one that applies to any industry trying to educate, normalize, or shift perceptions.

If you’re in an emerging or controversial market like clean energy, crypto, AI, alternative proteins, or even telehealth, you might have more in common with cannabis than you think.

Build a Brand That Belongs on the Shelf

When we launched our cannabis-focused creative agency, we had one rule: No clichés. That meant ditching the dripping paint-style fonts, overused pot leaves, and “green cross” tropes. These familiar signals might appeal to those who are already fans of cannabis, but they alienate everyone else.

If cannabis was ever going to be accepted as normal, it had to look normal. So we borrowed from brands doing it right:

• Haus, the apéritif startup that made shelf-ready elegance look effortless
• Function of Beauty, which turned personalized shampoo into an aesthetic experience
• Oatly, which took a bland pantry item and made it bold, weird, and fun

We took cues from food, wellness, skincare, and beverages. The result? Clients who embraced this shift saw more traction from new consumers, more investor interest, and better retailer placement.

Lesson: Design like you belong. Legitimacy starts with presentation.

Don’t Only Market to the Converted, Speak to the “Maybe”

I’m that “stoner” guy. I love the plant, the culture, and the history. But cannabis brands don’t need to market to me. I’m already sold. 

If your brand looks like an inside joke, don’t be surprised when no one gets it. 

The bigger opportunity? The curious majority. People who are interested, but cautious. Think: your mom, your neighbor, your accountant. Most brands in misunderstood markets make the mistake of building for themselves—speaking in jargon, chasing trends, ignoring outsiders.

It’s the same trap crypto fell into with meme coins and “degens,” or early alt-meat brands that pushed sci-fi over sustainability. If your product needs education or reassurance to grow, build for the people still on the fence.

Lesson: Talk to the “maybe,” not just the converted. That’s where the growth lives.

Make Clarity the Core of Your Brand System

In cannabis, there’s no trust without clarity. Customers want to know:

• Is this legal?
• How will this make me feel?
• Will this uplift or ruin my Tuesday?

That’s not just a product issue—it’s a branding one. A strong identity system doesn’t just look good; it helps customers understand what they’re getting, why it matters, and why they can trust you.

Some of our most effective work includes:

• Educational icon systems
• Clear, welcoming copy
• Visual storytelling that demystifies the experience

Compare that to biotech, FinTech, or wellness, where opaque language and over-design often make consumers feel excluded or overwhelmed.

Lesson: If people don’t get it, they won’t trust it. And they definitely won’t buy it.

Branding Isn’t Just Design, It’s How You Earn Legitimacy

When your industry is stigmatized or brand-new, marketing isn’t optional. It’s how you show up in the world. Your brand is your handshake, your elevator pitch, your shot at saying: “We’re legit, and we’re here for you.”

We’ve seen this with cannabis, yes, but also with:

• BetterHelp, which helped normalize online therapy by making mental health feel approachable
• Thrive Market, which built trust in alternative food products through transparency and values
• Lalo, the baby gear brand that made parenting feel less overwhelming through minimalist design and real-talk messaging

These brands didn’t win by shouting the loudest. They won by showing up smart, clear, and consistently human.

Lesson: Trust isn’t given. It’s designed, tested, and earned brick by brick.

The Takeaway for Any Brand in a Misunderstood Space

If your product or service lives at the edge of acceptance, the playbook is simple, but not necessarily easy:

• Look like you belong: Ditch the clichés and project confidence
• Speak to outsiders: Your future customers aren’t already bought in
• Educate without overwhelming: Help people feel informed, not intimidated
• Build for trust: Every brand touchpoint should reinforce credibility

When industries are battling stigma, regulation, or consumer skepticism, strategic branding isn’t a luxury; it’s a lifeline. Cannabis didn’t progress into a brand-forward industry because it was cool. It evolved that way because it had to. And now that it has, every brand with perception hurdles can take a cue from what cannabis got right.

The post What Cannabis Branding Gets Right and Why Every Industry Should Follow Suit appeared first on Cannabis Industry Journal.