I had the privilege to speak with other experts at the OC Canna Connect's "Importance of Branding and Packaging" event on Feb. 1, 2018. I hope this information will help you to take a fresh look at your brand image.

Creating a custom T-shirt line is a great way to turn a profit while advertising your brand. T-shirts are like a walking billboard and what is captivating to consumers are unique custom designs. Just like sports fans wear team jerseys and more, fans of your brand will want to show their support by doing the same.

By Wendy Rall Volume 5 Article 3

What is a logo?

Simple question, right? We all know that it is your identifying mark. It is a symbol and font that identifies your business and can be recognized and remembered. Therefore, logos should be memorable, easy to read, simple and original (no clip-art). Consequently, illustrative and complex logos can be hard to read and even harder to remember.

By Wendy Rall Volume 5 Article 2

The fonts and colors used in your marketing play a large part in your overall brand image.

I was inspired to write this article after viewing direct mail circulars. I saw that three fast food restaurants were all offering similar deals. Each coupon has a very different feel to it. I found this to be a great example of how fonts and colors impact your advertising. These examples will show you how your brand may be interpreted.

y Wendy Lea Rall Volume 5. Article 1.

How your fonts reflect your visual brand image.

The fonts used in your marketing play a large part in your overall brand image. I was inspired to write this article after viewing direct mail circulars. I saw that three fast food restaurants were all offering similar deals. Each coupon has a very different feel to it,

By Wendy Lea Rall Volume 4 Article 6

Marketing: Who, what, WHERE, when and why.

Most of us know that these are the basics needed in your marketing materials. There is one mistake I see made repeatedly. Many companies are not providing their complete address on marketing and advertising efforts. There are several reasons that this information is important.

Branding lesson at the HDCA! The High Desert Cannabis Association meets in Apple Valley, CA. This is a networking group for professionals in the cannabis industry. Thank you to Board Member Frances Schauwecker for inviting me to speak.

By Wendy Rall Volume 4 Article 5

Branding is a hot word in the cannabis industry. As we near the end of 2016, we see the image of cannabis being elevated. Emerging new marketing and branding firms are replacing “psychedelic”  images of old, with sophisticated images, elevating the overall image of cannabis....

By Wendy Rall Volume 4 Article 4

...when using clip-art, the image is not truly "your" logo. You cannot trademark art that you do not own. Even if you purchased a download from a stock image website, it does not give you ownership of that image....

By Wendy Rall Volume 4 Article 3

magine you are advertising your brand and have a killer ad design running in one magazine. It was designed to the specifications of this magazine and all of your text and images are inside of the “safety zone.” Now imagine it’s time to run an ad in another magazine. Would you give that same ad to the additional magazines? The answer is no. Why? Because not all magazines are the same

By Wendy Lea Rall Volume 4 Article 2 Part 2

In part one of this article, I discussed how a client had asked me if we could “just use the back of the brochure as our ad?” . All specifics of why this will not be effective advertising is explained in Part 1.

By Wendy Rall Volume 4 Article 2

“Can’t we just use the back of the brochure as our advertising?” This question was posed to me last week and inspired me to share this experience with you...

By Wendy Rall    Volume 4 Article 1

Do you want your brand to be recognized and remembered? Even when you have a great logo in place, it’s important to be in control of your branding. Consistency helps your brand to be recognized and remembered.

By Wendy Rall    Volume 3 Article 6

With new brands emerging in the market constantly, it’s important now more than ever, to be sure that your package design is working for you. Wether the customer is looking at your package on a store shelf or a photo of you package online, you need to command attention. You need to have a visual brand appeal.

By Wendy Rall Volume 3 Article 5

Does your logo read well? 

You are about to build your brand. You have a image in your mind. It is a visual image that is a reflection of you and of how you want your brand to be marked. Go ahead and dream keeping in mind that it’s best to keep your logo simple.

By Wendy Rall    Volume 3 article 4

When you make the decision… “Yes, I'm going to do it,… I'm going to become a licensed cultivator!”… the adrenaline and creativity kicks in: “I’m also going to create my own line of products! I need a logo, I need a website!  (click image to read more).

By Wendy Rall  Volume 3 Article 3

Packaging in the cannabis industry is constantly changing. The word “trending” is not a term that I use often, but it  precisely expresses what’s going on in our industry. New regulations in labeling requirements are constantly being introduced.

By Wendy Rall    Vol 3 Article 2

Great branding is one of the most important elements of your business. It seems that people are beginning to realize the importance of what I call “the human element”, in their branding, advertising and marketing efforts. Technology has changed the way we live and has such an impact on how we work, but moreover it has effected our relationships, connecting us as never before.

By Wendy Rall    Volume 3 Article 1

So often I see advertising and marketing materials that are so full of content that nothing is legible.  An “impactful image” is seen, read and understood quickly and easily. For example, lets take an advertisement whether digital or print; what makes for an impactful ad?

By Wendy Rall  Volume 2 Article 6 

In the cannabis industry, I have met many creative and intelligent new business owners. They know how to put a label design together or create a logo with basic design program skills. This can get you started if you are on a tight budget, but your logo and visual brand image are not the areas where you want to cut corners.

By Wendy Rall  Volume 2 Article 5

In the cannabis market, new brands are emerging by the hour, making it very important to have an original logo, and, a unique name.

There is a constant flow of new products and services to the industry. Whether you offer a vape product, edibles, topicals, or flowers, you have competitors out there who are looking for your market share. This holds true for all of the ancillary businesses moving into this industry as well.

By Wendy Rall   Volume 2, Article 4

You’ve worked hard and have invested a great deal of time and effort to get your business to where it is today. As you prepare to launch your product or service, it’s important to recognize that your brand image is a direct reflection of your business. What kind of impression do you want to make on potential clients? Are you content with being mediocre, or do you want to stand out?  

By Wendy Rall   Volume 2, Article 3

When advertising your business both online or in print, do your images look sharp? Your images are a representation of you, not just your business. In this competitive, rapidly growing cannabis industry, you better be looking sharp!

By Wendy Rall    Volume 2 Article 2

We've all seen it, a pixilated image. It looks bad, not just to you, but it makes the brand look bad. Understanding how images get pixilated, is the key to having the best quality possible for your brand’s photos and graphics, in both print and digital usages

By Wendy Rall    Volume 2 Article 1

According to AMA the American Marketing Association, a line extension refers to, “A new product marketed by an organization that already has at least one other product being sold in that product/market area. Line extensions are usually new flavors, sizes, models, applications, strengths, etc.”

By Wendy Rall    Volume 1  Article 6

One of the most important aspects when branding your business is consistency. This means that when creating your sales and marketing materials—your web presence and your advertising and packaging designs—your visual image must be consistent. 

By Wendy Rall  Volume 1  Article 5

When it comes to selecting a font for your logo, tagline and advertising materials, the most important thing to remember is: If it is easy to read, then it will be easy to remember. The font for your logo and brand need to be legible at any size. Think about how your font will appear in large print, for example on a trade show booth, or in small print as on a business card. 

By Wendy Rall    Volume 1  Article 4

When it comes to creating your brand image, you want to think not only about your product or service, but also about your target market. Who will benefit most from your business? These are your future customers.

The legal cannabis industry covers a wide range of demographics—from hippies to hipsters—with sub-targets inside of the target market. Products need to appeal to, and resonate with, a broad spectrum of customers in a variety of locations.

By Wendy Rall    Volume 1  Article 3

How can you make your brand more memorable and easier to recognize?

Include an icon in your logo.

The human mind recognizes images more readily than words. Studies have shown the human brain deciphers image elements almost instantaneously, while language is decoded in a linear, sequential manner, which takes a longer time to process.

By Wendy Rall    Volume 1 Article 2

Colors evoke emotions. They make us feel something, but each color elicits a different reaction. Let’s take GREEN for example. Green generally represents the environment, growth and freshness, and makes us feel serene.

The color wheel inspires a range of emotions, and certain colors invoke certain sentiments. It is important to know which emotion is triggered by which color.