Good Chemistry. Photo by Ellen Jaskol.
Company: Good Chemistry
Locations: Denver and Aurora, Colorado
Owner: Matthew Huron
Employees: 100-plus
DENVER — Matthew Huron, a 20-year veteran of the cannabis industry, recently began looking for ways to have a deeper dialogue with his customers. The Good Chemistry CEO was advised to try a more visual approach.
Good Chemistry started pairing easily identifiable symbols with distinct colors to provide information to consumers at a glance. The intuitive designs have simplified the selection process for Good Chemistry’s customers by dividing its 60-plus strains into four categories — sleep, amplification, relief and relaxation.
“We worked very hard to develop this concept, and we enlisted some of the best minds in the branding, marketing and design business,” Huron said.
Good Chemistry was lauded by the community for its accessibility and was awarded “2016 Best Dispensary for a Newb” by Denver’s alternative weekly newspaper, Westword.
“To be successful we need to connect with and help educate customers who appreciate the product we are cultivating in our Good Chemistry Nurseries,” Huron said.
Good Chemistry. April 6, 2015. Photo by Ellen Jaskol.
Dividing the company’s regular menu into more digestible categories was just one part of Good Chemistry’s long-term strategy. Huron contracted with several high-profile branding experts to create the company’s visual cues. Michael Markowitz & Associates developed Good Chemistry’s “Craft of Cannabis” ad campaign, which showcases artisan growers tending to fields of cannabis by hand. Duffy & Partners was contracted to design the company’s packaging, imagery, colors and typography.
The interior of the company’s Aurora, Colorado store was built by Tony Coleman to “create a world of cannabis in the same way that Apple has created a world of electronics,” Huron said.
Good Chemistry. Photo by Ellen Jaskol.
“Good Chemistry Nurseries’ retail stores are designed to showcase our commitment to the craft of cultivating cannabis products of remarkable quality,” he said. “When you visit our dispensaries we want you to be immediately met with a heightened retail experience designed to emulate our deep commitment to excellence, whether the product is cannabis or the cannabis retail experience itself.”
The visual overhaul made new customers feel welcome, but to fully educate them, Huron worked with four other area growers to create the S.T.A.T.S. guide — a cannabis handbook that helps new users evaluate the sight, touch, aroma, taste and smell of flower.
“Customers are realizing that all cannabis is not created equal,” Huron said. “We believe it’s good for the whole industry when our customers can quickly and easily identify product and production excellence. We think we all benefit from that.”