The founders came to me with a new challenge. Develop a strong brand for the strongest line of cannabis coming to market. Altitude is not just a superior quality of product, the brand was built to foster a community of city goers on a journey to the highest highs in life.
I knew early on that the visual identity needed to feel active, quirky, playful, and elevated. I created a comprehensive visual and messaging system to live on packaging, signage, social media, website, and budtender tools.
Role:
Branding, Research, Website, Strategy, & Packaging
Agency:
Harness Innovation
Length:
3 months
Brand strategy & launch of one of the strongest cannabis strains.
ALTITUDE
Testing visuals during a design sprint led us to develop art direction that was confident and crystal clear. We let the preroll cannabis product shine and highlight hidden touches in the packaging that provide a fun and relaxing moment. The first interaction, an age gate prompt, clearly establishes the brand's strong tone of voice.
THE WEBSITE
I led the 5 founders through 5 Design Sprints.
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Research & Discovery
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Strategic Exploration
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Brand Design
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Website Strategy
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Refinements
Together we explored survey results. We played and refined ideas in co-creation workshops. Using information from each exercise I developed:
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Who/What/How
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Audience Overview (B2B & B2C)
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Naming Attributes & Brand DNA
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Brand Campaign Possibilities
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Voice—The Spirit of the Brand
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Expert Interviews with Founders & Growers
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Brand Spectrum Traits
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Future Casting & Company Goals
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Visual glossary for shared language
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Brand Pyramid Framework
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Brand Purpose
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Core Values
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Value Proposition
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What Makes Us Uniquely Us?
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Voice Guardrails
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The Big Idea
BRAND STRATEGY
Self-identification as a cannabis enthusiast is paramount to the Altitude community. While second only to the product, the brand embraces casual wear and logo-free active street wear.
MERCHANDISE
Even the smallest applications of the brand including re-rolls and dog walkers contained the signature black background and custom white tilted logotype. Primary and secondary packaging—tamper proof for legal reasons—still provide ample area for hero artwork.
PACKAGING
Each unique strain in development was given it's own illustration inspired by street art from Detroit, Michigan—the home of Altitude.
SIGNAGE
Story art and posts highlight well known cannabis enthusiasts from Motor City.
SOCIAL MEDIA
The tall bold logotype slants upward towards a higher place. It expresses energy and movement. The underline has a gradual thick and thin line weight, reminiscent of something underscored or carved with passion and emotion. This Altitude has attitude. For an icon, three “A”s interlock to create a dynamic & hypnotic vibe, referencing both a strong hallucinogenic or focused high.
THE LOGO
Angles are expressed through underlines and a 3 degree upward slant of the type. Key phrases can be grouped with the logo, then repeated. Organic line art (unexpected street art or tattoo art) contrasts with the sharp lines of the type. Artwork can change for each product, marketing campaign, or commissioned with local artists for community collaborations.
AN ENERGETIC BRAND
Style & hierarchy: headlines use tall bold type. It can be used with or without the angle. Sub-headlines and call-outs use a legible and utilitarian copy—great for small legal details on packaging use and bold statements alike.
TYPOGRAPHY
