Consumer Campaign: OCal at the California State Fair

OCal is California’s organic-equivalent certification for cannabis, developed to provide an environmentally friendly option for cannabis consumers and cultivators. This recently-developed program is still unknown to many cannabis consumers, so I worked with an accredited certifying agency to develop and write a consumer-focused campaign at the California State Fair.

The campaign's centerpiece became the tagline I developed: “Know your grower, know your ganja,” a playful take on the familiar “Know your farmer, know your food” campaign that resonated with the cheeky heart of cannabis culture. Stickers were printed with the designed tagline and OCal logo, which were wildly popular among both cultivators and consumers.

The greatest challenge was how to explain a complex state regulatory program to consumers in a way that would resonate with them. I wrote content for an 8x8-foot banner display that distilled OCal’s many benefits into impactful, understandable facts. There was some tricky wordsmithing involved because of restrictions imposed by the federally regulated term “organic” and how it could be used to describe a state-level program of a federally prohibited crop. The display prompted conversations with cannabis professionals and consumers alike, and was successful at raising awareness about the program.

I also wrote taglines and content for a double-sided business card intended to serve the dual purpose of consumer education and lead generation for the certifier’s OCal services. With more punny, playful taglines, I was able to create a multi-purpose piece to accompany the campaign.