The city of Detroit has many nicknames. Reflecting its history, monikers like Motown, Rock City, and Motor City allude to Detroit’s artistic and industrial roots, and while many of the factories may have closed their doors, they still left an indelible imprint on its character and citizens.
That same grit and prodigious artistic expression also get celebrated with the Dieline Awards’ Neenah Paper winner Glorious Cannabis Company, designed by agency San Francisco agency Pavement. Based just outside Detroit in Rochester Hills, Michigan, Glorious Cannabis Company is the largest class-C cultivator in the state. Its mission is to provide high-quality cannabis grown with pride and hard work without cutting corners, and the brand embodies that sense of tireless diligence and craftsmanship the city has come to be associated with.
“We set out to make the Glorious Cannabis branding inherently Detroit,” said Michael Hester, founder and creative director for Pavement.
“But we also didn’t want to smash you over the head with Detroit because it becomes a little disingenuous and inauthentic,” he added. “We thought about the auto industry and its industriousness, looking at car emblems, like Ford and other classic Detroit brands, and asked how can we have a utilitarian approach to this brand. That boldness may not necessarily be a direct visual reference, but it was on our minds. Ultimately we landed on a utilitarian meets suave, artistic musician.”
The deep red of the packaging sets a luxurious bed for the black and cream complimentary colors. The utilitarian typography feels industrial and stands out when set against the imperial red. The wordmark comes raised in black, and the color combination is nothing but kickass rock-and-roll. The inkless, heat-printed label goes across three panels, and the perforated edge is reminiscent of revenue stamps and communicates details about the flower.
Additionally, cannabis leaves are embossed onto the paper, adding another layer visually and tactilely to the box, which stands on its own and features an elegant front flap opening (with production from Studio on Fire) . The Glorious Cannabis logo sits at the end of the rounded flap and portrays a smokestack-topped factory with a water tower in the background and a playful wisp of smoke.
“We wanted to create something that felt really urban, kind of gritty, but at the same time a little bit artistic,” explained Hester. “The typography on the package is bold, simple, and it’s memorable, too. We were looking to achieve packaging that is bold, simple, and iconic.”
Glorious’ eighth flower packaging stands out thanks to its striking, attractive design. The retail experience is all the more heightened with the use of a premium substrate, especially among competitors using flat mylar bags—the focus on paper and touch taps into its potential, displaying a high level of craft from the design studio.
“We presented three designs, and the other two were safer; this choice was maybe a little out there. But it’s really cool, and it’s so different from anything else that’s out there in the cannabis world. As a big company, we were concerned that they wouldn’t want to take a risk, but the client instantly gravitated towards it.”
“Pavement creative director Michael Hester has demonstrated his understanding of the important role colored, premium paper brings to a brand as a design element,” said Vanessa Crow-Murff, Neenah’s creative director. “Not only does the beater dyed Neenah Classic Imperial Red Smooth 130DTC bring an element of luxury to the Glorious Cannabis Company experience, but it becomes an integral part of the overall brand identity. The unique dieline of the packaging is elevated with clean, no-white score lines and edges.”
“Hester has allowed the tactile uncoated paper to be the hero of the package with the minimal combination of the bold black ink and floral blind emboss,” Crow-Murff added. “These two techniques combined with the striking paper balance feminine and masculine elements in an exciting design and is a great example of how impactful, thoughtful consideration of substrates can elevate your packaging.”
Pavement’s design distills the character and spirit of Detroit. The black and red colorway and straightforward typography evoke blue-collar resilience and strength and rockstar swag. Adding multiple tactile layers, such as raised letters and embossed cannabis leaves, and a unique and practical shape imparts a premium feel that stands out in a sea of dispensaries full of mylar pouches. Glorious’ packaging has multiple layers of texture, creating a tactile experience that would be impossible to replicate on plastic, plus it’s more organic and gives it a craft-like feeling. The raised black letters contrast with the embossed cannabis leaves, and those haptic notes make it the kind of packaging you want to reach out and touch, even though that’s improbable at most dispensaries (but, hey, check with your budtender).
But above all, Pavement’s passion for paper and the customer’s experience with the packaging is clearly evident in Glorious Cannabis Company, making it clear why they won this year’s Dieline Neenah paper award.
“This is one of those projects that came together really easily,” Hester said.
“It just flowed,” he added. “There was never a what-do-I-do moment. I really loved this, and when we presented it to the client, we thought, ‘please pick this one.’ And they did.”
Images courtesy of Pavement.
