Cannabiz Media

Viola vibes out with a brand refresh that’s focused on the experience

A brand refresh is something most businesses do every so often to better reflect the core values they share with their customers. 

And with 64 percent of consumers forming brand loyalty based on a company’s values, it’s time and money well spent. 

While refreshing a brand is usually focused on a redesign of packaging and other marketing collateral, it’s also a way to reinforce core values and improve messaging. 

That’s the intent behind Viola’s rebrand, which is focused on informing customers how its products will impact their mood. The company determined the lack of education was making the shopping experience unenjoyable for consumers and wanted to offer something that would change that. 

The company’s newly launched Viola Vibes System (VVS) is its way of curating customers’ experiences with the brand while providing education on its offerings.

As part of the brand refresh, the company is rolling out a new system to educate its customers about Viola products.

Viola’s customers range from the canna-curious to daily consumers and connoisseurs, so developing a language that everyone can understand was a big consideration when the company started its research and development process. 

“We’ve broke it into an easier pathway for the consumer,” said Najee Tyler, Viola’s head of lifestyle marketing and business development. 

The Viola Vibes System is broken into four categories:

  • Get Up and Go 
  • Good Times 
  • Kick Back 
  • Lights Out 

“They’re still our strains that consumers love, but we wanted to create a system that lets them easily find the product that’s right for them,” Tyler said.

While marketing cannabis products by mood state isn’t anything new, Viola wants to make it easy for its customers to determine what strains work best for them, so it created a quiz to help them figure it out. Consumers are asked what kind of vibe they’re looking for — relaxing, energizing or mellowing out — and what time of day they’re consuming cannabis. 

“Is it more of a weekend bake and go, or is it lights out?” Tyler said. 

In addition to helping consumers navigate the complicated world of cannabis, Viola’s new system is a good way to educate budtenders who see a barrage of products and brands daily. 

“This gives them a way to speak to consumers,” Tyler said.

At this point, Viola has a lot of consumers to speak to. Since NBA star Al Harrington founded the company in 2011, it’s moved into five states and across Canada.

Viola had been toying with the idea since early last year, but was busy with too many other aspects of the business — such as partnering with NBA star Allen Iverson and expanding into Canada — to focus on figuring out how to help its customers curate their cannabis experiences. 

“We didn’t want to confuse consumers in that process,” Tyler said.

In conjunction with the rebrand, the company launched a 90-second commercial that depicts people in different situations. Or, as the voiceover describes, “On a normal Sunday, in a normal neighborhood with normal people doing normal things.” They all have some sort of issue that’s bothering them — until they smoke whatever version of Viola’s weed that’s designed for them.

In one vignette, an older woman is stressing out about her plant not getting enough water until her husband pulls out Kick Back and she relaxes, saying, “This is gas!” 

Another shows a woman trying to practice yoga but being distracted by all the commotion outside her window — until she smokes Lights Out and elevates off the mat. 

“We’re trying to find fun ways to get consumers involved,” Tyler said.

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