For more than five decades, KCSA Strategic Communications has shaped public perception and influenced markets. The award-winning firm specializes in public relations, investor relations and integrated marketing. With experience in healthcare, life sciences, and emerging industries, the agency is devoted to translating complex science into accessible, actionable messaging that builds trust and drives progress.
“More than a decade ago, KCSA became the first integrated public and investor relations agency to carve out a dedicated cannabis practice,” said Managing Director Anne Donohoe. “People — and some clients! — thought we were nuts, and we heard every bad weed joke in the book, but we saw a real professional communications gap in this burgeoning new business sector. So, the partners took a risk.
“Did we know what we were getting into?” she added. “Absolutely not. Should we have invested in more Pepto-Bismol? Absolutely. Do we have any regrets? Nope.”
Resetting expectations around public relations
What’s the biggest misconception businesses have about public relations or marketing?
The biggest myth is that PR can deliver miracles overnight or bend the news cycle to a company’s will. Communications is a strategic discipline, just like sales or operations, that requires planning, consistency, and patience to execute effectively. The media landscape has dramatically changed, with more platforms and mediums to deliver messages than ever before. To break through, we must meet people where they are with consistent, data-driven, trusted information. The news cycle is unpredictable, and regulations shift constantly. Success comes from preparation and strategy, not quick fixes.
What’s one simple thing companies can do internally to get more out of their campaigns?
Work with a firm to build out a thirty-sixty-ninety-day communications strategy that is flexible enough to shift with the news cycle but disciplined enough to stick to messaging and move the narrative forward. Regulations and enforcement change quickly, and without a roadmap, campaigns become reactive and defensive. Having a plan creates stability across the business, ensures spokespeople are ready, and puts companies in a stronger position to pivot when challenges inevitably arise.
Building authentic brand stories in cannabis
What makes for a strong brand story?
Authenticity. A brand story works when it’s rooted in real values and lived culture, not just logos or taglines. Too often companies copy what others are doing instead of taking the time to define their unique mission and voice. The strongest brands make sure employees understand and embody the story, because your employees are the frontline ambassadors and carry that story directly to consumers.
Where opportunity and audience really live
What’s the most overlooked opportunity brands should be paying attention to right now?
Artificial intelligence (AI) and hyper-personalization. Companies can’t afford to wait. AI is reshaping how content is discovered, and brands that aren’t thinking about how their information surfaces in these new environments will fall behind. Personalization powered by AI is moving from an experiment to an expectation, and brands that don’t adapt risk being left behind.
What trends in consumer behavior should companies be paying attention to?
Consumers are leaning into cannabis for wellness. Sleep, stress, and pain-management are top drivers. Interest in minor cannabinoids like CBN, CBG, and THCV is growing, and product preferences are shifting from smoking toward gummies, beverages, and other discreet formats. Experience-based consumption, such as lounges, also is gaining traction, signaling that consumers are looking for cannabis to fit into lifestyle and social settings.
What’s one channel or tactic that’s delivering surprising results right now?
Engagement in smaller, highly trusted communities. Trade outlets, niche journalists, and key events often move the needle more than one-off mainstream hits. These audiences value authenticity and connection, and the impact they deliver in terms of brand trust and customer conversion is often greater than broad, splashy coverage. People who are interested in cannabis often rely on local sources of information, word-of-mouth, and their doctors and medical community.
Connecting credibility to business outcomes
How can companies connect PR and marketing to business outcomes?
PR builds credibility, and credibility fuels sales. We’ve seen local and national TV hits translate into immediate spikes in web traffic and measurable sales. That’s proof that earned media awareness directly drives outcomes when campaigns are done right. The best companies align PR with key performance indicators like customer acquisition cost, lifetime value, and partnership growth. When communications, marketing, and sales work toward the same revenue goals, the impact is undeniable.
What role does data play in shaping effective campaigns?
Data is one of the most powerful assets a brand can own. Proprietary research — whether surveys, polls, or consumer contests — creates unique stories, provides credibility in a sector where reliable data is scarce, and gives journalists a reason to pay attention. Beyond media, data builds trust with regulators, investors, and consumers by grounding campaigns in facts instead of hype.
Working with journalists and choosing partners wisely
What advice would you give a company choosing an outside partner for the first time?
Find a partner who cares about your company and the bottom line, not just the next campaign or press release. Define your goals, your budget, and the resources you can commit before beginning the search. When evaluating agencies, look at their cannabis experience, reporting practices, and cultural fit. Most importantly, get to know the people who will actually be servicing your account. Like any other relationship, chemistry matters.
What’s the smartest low-budget tactic you’ve seen work in marketing or PR?
Helping local and trade reporters make their story shine. Newsrooms are stretched thinner than ever, and if you can help them tell a richer story, they’ll continue to come back to you for new storylines and expert source material. By providing quality assets like candid photos, B-roll, and a highly accessible spokesperson can really help the already shrinking newsrooms provide vibrant stories. It doesn’t require a big budget, just preparation, empathy for what journalists are up against, and a commitment to storytelling. The payoff is stronger coverage, deeper relationships, and a reputation as a trusted partner in the media ecosystem.
Preparing for pressure
What’s one mistake companies often make in PR or marketing?
Treating PR as a direct sales tool. In a developing industry like cannabis, PR’s greatest strength is education, destigmatization, and credibility building. When brands chase quick promotional wins, they undermine media relationships and miss the chance to create lasting value.
How should brands prepare for a crisis?
Do the hard work before the crisis comes. That means building a plan, assigning roles, creating holding statements, and running practice drills so the team knows how to move quickly. Where regulatory scrutiny is high, proactive crisis preparation can mean the difference between a manageable issue and a reputational hit that lingers.
How can companies make sure their marketing stands out in a crowded market?
You don’t win by outspending. Companies stand out by defining a clear niche, telling an authentic story, and engaging directly with their communities. From user-generated content to micro-influencers to local activations, low-cost but high-impact tactics build credibility and trust while cutting through the noise.
Playing the long game
How do you see PR evolving over the next two years?
The next two years will bring more sophisticated, compliance- and regulatory-driven communications. Expect broader adoption of AI personalization and growing consumer demand for education and transparency. The brands that lead with integrity, embrace science and wellness positioning, and integrate technology into the customer experience will be the ones that rise above.
What’s the one piece of advice you think every business leader should know?
Don’t get rattled by the news cycle. Cannabis is still a nascent industry, and there will be ups and downs. If you have a roadmap for your company, trust the process. Your actions speak louder than your words. When trust and perception are everything, consistency and integrity are your most valuable assets. From media coverage to customer loyalty, lead with credibility and authenticity, and the rest will follow.
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