As cannabis laws continue to relax around the world, the last few years have seen retailers in this space begin to think much more intentionally about how they present themselves, with design-led brands such as Superette boasting an almost cult-like status.

While shifting perceptions of the category can only be seen as a good thing, LA based Good Greens Flower Shop was founded to champion the original promise of getting high. Namely, hanging out with your friends, having a laugh, killing time, and connecting with the universe.

“Cannabis has proven medicinal benefits, but most people’s first experience with weed wasn’t because of glaucoma,” says Dan Cassaro, creative director of Young Jerks, the Brooklyn-based studio behind Good Greens’ visual identity.

“There is a rich 70-year shared cultural history of weed in this country. It’s fun, silly, and beautiful. Nostalgia is a powerful, evocative tool in all other industries – why wouldn’t people leverage that for cannabis brands?”

The project came to Young Jerks via word-of-mouth; Cassaro describes the company’s founders as “a mix of brothers, cousins, and childhood friends”. Together, they decided to build a retro-inspired brand from the ground up.

“I think as childhood friends, they came to us with a unique relationship and voice in regards to cannabis,” he says. “Less interested in dressing weed up for a wider audience, they spoke mostly of the fun, fellowship and good memories they all had of getting high. They were all pros in the field, and the product was fantastic, but they spoke more about their shared nostalgia and idealism than they did of specific strains.”

Spanning everything from packaging through to the all-important merch, the identity incorporates bright colours and retro design details. “There’s a lot of lighthearted copy and visuals peppered in the brand’s voice, which I think the client really aligned with. Things can be silly and still meaningful, fun but have depth,” says Cassaro.

As the category continues to mature, he also hopes that other brands will start to take a more nuanced approach to design. “I like fancy packaging, but I don’t think everyone necessarily wants their weed to look like an expensive Pokémon card. I understand the urge to capitalise on those trends. It’s been a bit of a gold rush, but as those wells dry up there is an opportunity, and a necessity, for brands to connect on more interesting, thoughtful levels.”

youngjerks.com