(Weekend Unlimitied is one of the companies featured in The Power of a Brand: Lessons From 20 Top Cannabis Companies, in the June issue of mg Magazine.)
How did we become weekend warriors in our own lives? Many profess to hate Mondays, and there does not seem to be a lot of love for the rest of the workweek, either. But we’re completely different people on weekends.
Weekend Unlimited built its recreational brand around the two days of the week we love most, offering consumers a “weekend feeling” every day. “Weekend’s packaging, marketing, and events, through Weekend LIVE, are designed purposefully to connect to those elements that make a weekend what it is, delivering life’s highs anytime, anywhere,” said interim President and Chief Executive Officer Chris Backus. “We aim to be synonymous with the idea that if you need even a few moments on a Wednesday to feel like it is Saturday, you can with one of our products.”
Though it may project a light-hearted image, the company doesn’t play around. A powerful aggregator, publicly traded Weekend acquires undervalued entities—including growers, live events, consumer packaged goods, retail stores, and research-and-development facilities—and then folds them into a multinational, vertically integrated operation where everything operates at scale. The company has the clout, and the market capital, to invest in brand-building. It heavily invests in media and public relations, along with consumer events, and has developed considerable name recognition in a relatively brief time.
Of course, the company’s playful spirit doesn’t hurt. Bright colors, product names like Love Potion, and pop-art-derived visuals make packages a standout on store shelves. “The use of pop art iconography on our packaging indicates a key direction the brand is going [in order] to differentiate itself in the market, one that has a playful, fun element that consumers can recognize and connect with,” Backus said.
Under everything lies the implied promise of relief from the weekly grind. “Consumers are people, and people regard their weekends as the best part of their week because there is a sense of freedom, relaxation, fun, and happiness,” Backus said.
