Cannabis brand Canaca paints a picture of its strains

Canadian cannabis brand Canaca has partnered with award-winning Canadian artist Cristian Fowlie to create a series of original art pieces that serve as visual representations of its four strains: Jean Guy, Mango, White Widow and Alien Dawg.

The visuals appeare on the Canaca website, as well as 19+ environments including dispensaries and age-gated digital platforms.

Canada’s strict cannabis marketing regulations have limited companies’ ability to communicate the properties and effects of their products, forcing them to get creative with their consumer outreach.

Last month, for example, Irisa introduced a virtual reality campaign that combined an Oculus headset with scented oils to create an experience inspired by its various product lines.

“This campaign is ultimately about consumer education and celebrating our brand and products in a compliant manner—within regulations,” said Adine Fabiani-Carter, chief marketing officer of Canaca’s parent company, High Park (which also owns Irisa). “We believe creative storytelling connects with consumers.”

Fowlie is an award-winning illustrator based in Montreal who has previously created commercial work for publications including The Walrus and The Globe and Mail as well as the CBC.

“Cristian blew us away with his ability to translate the stories and ideas we wanted to share about our cultivators into breathtaking works of art,” said Fabiani-Carter. “As a cannabis brand that prides itself on its Canadian heritage, it was important to us to work with a local artist.”

The four strains with their description:

Canaca- Alien Dawg
Alien Dawg: Is what happens when alien technology meets Chemdawg, one of the most storied and influential strains in North American cannabis. The result of this science-fiction fusion? A dank, sour indica with rich, deep notes of pepper and musk.
Canaca- Jean Guy
Jean Guy (pronounced ‘jawn ghee’ in your best French accent): Was traced back to the early-2000s in Montreal. This delicious strain’s complex aroma includes bold lemon notes with delicate herbal ribbons and a more sativa-ish lean.
Canaca- Mango
Mango: Old school cannabis lovers will recognize this classic tropical strain from the 60s. Mango is an indica-dominant hybrid with an earthy mango/myrcene arome emanating from dense buds.

Canaca- White Widow (1)

White Widow: An all-around crowd-pleaser. If strains were people, you’d be floored to meet this international icon. White Widow is a balanced hybrid known for its tight frosted buds and charged herbal and citrus aroma. You’ll be feeling happy and creative in no time.

Chris Powell