NEW YORK and LOS ANGELES — 10-year old award winning branding agency Wick & Mortar and next-generation communications agency Chapter 2 are proud to announce a comprehensive, long-term strategic joint venture that will service, challenge, and revolutionize the cannabis industry. The two companies have come together to create the first “one-stop super agency,” leveraging Wick & Mortar’s mastery of cannabis brand identity, design, marketing, and content creation, which will be amplified by Chapter 2’s expertise in powerful PR storytelling, brand strategy, network, and VIP/Influencer Services. Together, the two teams will take clients from seed to shelf to becoming a household name. With a desire to give back to their community at this time of need during the Coronavirus pandemic and lockdown, the agencies have accelerated their partnership to launch immediately and dedicated their resources to a project aimed at providing much needed aid to independent cannabis companies whose businesses have been heavily impacted by COVID-19 and the resulting economic fallout. Kicking off on 4/20/2020, High Grade Hope will offer pro-bono services and professional assistance to three hand selected cannabis companies, which will include branding and marketing services to relaunch their brand in time for the economic recovery.
“Working remotely as we kick off our new strategic partnership gave us the perspective and drive to give back to our cannabis community during these hard times,” says Jared Mirsky, CEO of Wick & Mortar. “As powerful – and now united – agencies that have driven change and spread positive impact across our industries, we are eager to channel our expertise and passion into these companies in their moment of need. With precision and our ability to be agile, we will work together for a strong relaunch of these brands as we bounce out of the global coronavirus crisis. Our goal is to help small cannabis businesses reorganize and come back stronger and ready to dominate their respective markets.”
Concepted by the Seattle based Wick & Mortar team as a multi-platform resource for the three participating brands, High Grade Hope will offer a suite of their premium services, including top level brand development and full brand identity from Creative Director Derek Muller. This service includes product packaging designs and content creation for each brand’s relaunch. Working seamlessly with Wick & Mortar’s processes, Chapter 2 (with offices in NY/LA/Miami) will consult on brand strategy coupled with 12 months of public relations, content distribution, digital marketing consulting, and VIP/Influencer Services to bring their new brands to the forefront of their category in cannabis. The combined teams will lead the rebranding relaunch seamlessly as they flow from development to launch to expansion, with every member of the team collaborating on every project at every level. Adding a layer of education and consultation for the business owners, Green Flower Media will offer free courses in their extensive cannabis curriculum and Ricky Williams will offer one on one guidance through his astral-branding techniques. Additionally, a who’s who of cannabis has stepped up mentor participants through the High Grade Hope incubator including Steve Deangelo – Last Prisoner Project, Al Harington – Viola, Simon Maxwell – Green Flower Media, Josh Kesslemen – RAW, Renee Gagnon – Women Grow, Javier Haase – Journalist, David Tran and James Zachodni – Farechild Events, and Layne Schmerin – Top Tree.
To apply for this program or for more information to be involved visit High Grade Hope – at www.highgradehope.org.
Submissions are currently open and will be until April 27, 2020. By May 1st, 10 finalist companies will be invited to present to both agencies. The teams at Wick & Mortar, Chapter 2, and the program mentors will vote on the final 3 to 5 participants by May 7th, and the process of transformation will commence.
Watch our video: https://www.highgradehope.com/apply
With this incredible launch pad, the new super agency aligns these uniquely positioned industry leaders to allow for best in class ideas and products in THC and CBD products, services, and retail to come to market and expand. Clients will range from licensed cannabis corporations to mainstream-friendly personalities to hype-driven niche brands. The agency’s unified approach to branding, marketing, media strategy, and retail development and engineering will translate into high-level execution and consistency at every touchpoint. With a shared principle for “doing things differently, doing things better,” the partners of the super agency will break past the boundaries of what’s considered traditional marketing services to be the leading business development resource for cannabis brands.
The full gravity of the new entity sits in the potential creative offspring of the partnership. In addition to working with the best brands in the cannabis industry, the super agency has intentions of developing its own intellectual property, which it can license to clients in return for a share in revenues. The goal is to develop into the leading cannabis product developing IP company, marketing their own portfolio of concepts and products, as well as doing that for major brands.
“A real electricity exists in the synergies between our companies,” adds Kenneth Loo and Clara Jeon, co-founders of Chapter 2. “We share an eagerness to work on multi-state and national campaigns, minority and women-owned companies, but we are most excited to create and grow our own projects. We see a tremendous opportunity to be the conduit for our network in fashion, entertainment, consumer products, and art to express themselves in the cannabis category. Our vision is to bring culture to the table in the cannabis industry and together, create meaningful and impactful products and experiences in this space. We want to be an example of how to positively navigate through this market, increase diversity in an industry that’s in dire need of it, help build better business practices, and bring great, engaging, broad-speaking concepts to this new and exciting marketplace.”
ABOUT THE PARTNERS:
Wick & Mortar is the award winning cannabis-focused branding and content marketing agency. Their core services include branding, strategy, copywriting, packaging design, packaging production, and website design. Additional services include marketing consulting, photography, videography, and advertising. For over 10 years, Wick & Mortar has brought a plethora of experience, deep-rooted relationships and polished presentation to some of the most recognized projects in the cannabis industry. www.wickandmortar.com
Chapter 2 was co-founded by Clara Jeon and Kenneth Loo in early 2016. Together they formed the next-generation strategic communications, marketing, audience development, and events agency. Chapter 2 is the resource for top brands in the designer fashion, luxury brands, contemporary art, cannabis, sustainability and social impact communities. With a singular focus to “do things better,” the agency has earned a strong reputation for working with leading culture creators and powerful voices of change. www.Chapter2agency.com
