Marijuana Business Magazine February 2020

Marijuana Business Magazine | February 2020 14 L ast year, Keef decided it needed a face-lift to make its products stand out from the competition. The new design debuted in December. What was the process to design the new Keef packaging? “One of the big issues we deal with is the inability for consumers to actually touch the product in the store,” Keef co-founder and CEO Erik Knutson said. “The budtenders have to handle all the product. Most retail outlets have product behind the counter.” Keef has had the same logo since it was founded in 2010, and with the expansion of the industry and new adult-use markets coming online, the company thought the brand needed refreshing. “It was a little hard to read, and it didn’t stand out,” Knutson said of the former logo. “With all of the new consumers coming into the space, we wanted to put out a new brand (image) that touched more consumers. We wanted a little wider reach than what we previously had.” Keef handled its design in-house for years but hired Oakland, California-based Evolution Bureau (EVB) to rede- sign its packaging. EVB handled the rebranding of both Oakland-based cannabis retailer Harborside and Jameson Irish Whiskey, so Knutson said the company was a natural fit for Keef’s THC-infused beverages. EVB presented several designs to the Keef team that Knutson said incorporated “cool artwork that blends with what we’re all about: creating a social experience with cannabis.” What measures does the company take to make its packaging sustainable? Keef’s two-piece aluminum cans with resealable tabbed lids are recyclable. The company avoids using plastic except for the dosing cap it’s required to include in its Keef Life H 2 O line of infused water. Aluminum cans are about one-eighth the weight of Packaging Corner | Margaret Jackson Standing Out on the Shelf KEEF BRANDS Founded 2010 Markets Arizona, California, Colorado, Michigan, Nevada, Puerto Rico and Jamaica Products THC beverages, oils and vapes Price $6-$20, depending on product Packaging designer Evolution Bureau (EVB) of Oakland, California Keefʼs revamped packaging, above, is easier to read and more attention grabbing than the companyʼs former design, below. glass bottles, so the company isn’t burning as much fuel when it’s delivering products. The newly designed cans also are about 30% shorter, so dispensaries can put more of them on their shelves. “We’re probably one of the cleaner packages out there,” Knutson said. Keef keeps sustainability top of mind during packaging redesign