Grassroots

A collage of various images related to cannabis cultivation and use, including a house, cannabis buds, a cannabis plant, a grinder, and a weighing scale.

Grassroots and Curaleaf

CLIENT:

Designer
Illustrator
Art Director

ROLES:

Grassroots has been around. And I’ve been there for several major brand milestones over the years (see below for some history!). Most recently I was tapped to bring the brand to life on the most crowded cannabis holiday of the year; Four Twenty. Within a very shortened timeline I worked to create a set of themes and templates that represented the various consumer markets and compliance needs. Local marketing teams could swap images and legal disclaimers to fit their needs and specs.

This is more than a “case study”. My time with the Grassroots brands spans several years. Explore the links below to see just a few highlights from that time;

420 Campaign

Strain Icon Illustrations

Collection of stylized badges and icons related to cannabis culture, including symbols for green caffeine, basic skunk, kush mints, and other strains, as well as items like a cone, a spooky face, a rainbow, a burger, and a carton of milk.
Three framed graphic posters on a beige wall, depicting stylized space and nature themes in green and black colors.
Three colorful posters on a wall advertising different food items: 'Singapore Sling' with a tropical theme, 'Donny Burger' with a burger illustration, and 'Texas Shoreline' with a beach scene. The counter below has potted plants and digital screens, with a partially visible ice or snack display in the foreground.
A person wearing a light green baseball cap with a green and white logo, viewed from the back, in a crowded outdoor park with a city skyline in the background.
A person wearing a light green baseball cap with a green and white logo, viewed from the back, in a crowded outdoor park with a city skyline in the background.
Display stand showcasing three containers and two triangular signs with badges related to indoors and outdoor cannabis cultivation, labeled 'Indoor Grown' with a leaf logo, and featuring a backdrop with a cannabis plant pattern and text about grassroots strain library.
Display stand showcasing three containers and two triangular signs with badges related to indoors and outdoor cannabis cultivation, labeled 'Indoor Grown' with a leaf logo, and featuring a backdrop with a cannabis plant pattern and text about grassroots strain library.

Product Drops

A product release doesn’t end at the packaging.

A tall, rectangular green box with geometric and architectural designs, labeled 'Empire Cola' and 'Grassroots' promoting an indoor-grown flower, placed on a flat surface with a cloudy sky background.
Laptop displaying a webpage for Curaleaf's app and Empire Cola product, with a promotion banner for the product on top.
Promotional graphics for Grassroots Empire Cola, a cannabis product, featuring a cannabis bud and packaging, with phrases like "Now Available," "Limited Drop," and "Coming Soon," with a dark green background and beige text.
Promotional graphics for Grassroots Empire Cola, a cannabis product, featuring a cannabis bud and packaging, with phrases like "Now Available," "Limited Drop," and "Coming Soon," with a dark green background and beige text.
Two smartphone screens displaying Instagram profiles of grassroots cannabis company. The left screen shows a grid of posts related to cannabis, including plants, packaging, and products. The right screen shows a promotional image for Empire Cola with cannabis buds and packaging, and a caption about the product.
Two smartphone screens displaying Instagram profiles of grassroots cannabis company. The left screen shows a grid of posts related to cannabis, including plants, packaging, and products. The right screen shows a promotional image for Empire Cola with cannabis buds and packaging, and a caption about the product.

The wayback machine

Some client relationships outlast job titles, company names, and even the companies themselves. My work with Grassroots Cannabis started in 2018. At the time the “corporate office” was a converted shed behind a real estate office. As the sole art director I helped build the Grassroots brand from the ground up, was present for the first retail product delivery, and stayed through the brand's evolution, a landmark acquisition by Curaleaf in 2020, and everything that followed. Seven years. Two company names. One continuous creative partnership. This is what that looks like. Below is a selection of work from the early years.

A jar labeled 'Blues Brothers by Grassroots' with an illustration of two men wearing sunglasses and hats, a black container marked 'Bubba D Marriage counselor,' and a cannabis bud placed in front of the jar.
Poster advertising the band Blues Brothers, with stylized image of two men in suits and sunglasses, and a Greenhouse cannabis dispensary branding.
A vinyl record partially inside a cover with a black and teal geometric design, placed on a textured light gray surface.
A vinyl record partially inside a cover with a black and teal geometric design, placed on a textured light gray surface.
A hand holds a vape pen with a transparent chamber showing liquid inside. The vape pen has the brand name 'GRASSROOTS' on it. The background is a gradient of teal and light blue.
A hand holds a vape pen with a transparent chamber showing liquid inside. The vape pen has the brand name 'GRASSROOTS' on it. The background is a gradient of teal and light blue.
A colorful, stylized spaceship with the words "Ace's High" written across it, set against a black background, and featuring a formation of mountains and stars.
Three tincture bottles with labels indicating different CBD to THC ratios: 20:1, 10:1, and 1:1, arranged on a reflective surface with a plain background.
Three tincture bottles with labels indicating different CBD to THC ratios: 20:1, 10:1, and 1:1, arranged on a reflective surface with a plain background.
Graphic design featuring a man inspecting a yellow liquid in a beaker, wearing a hat with a nature logo, digital interface elements in the background, and the name 'Anthony' as Lab Manager.
Four digital cannabis product cards featuring Yuck Mouth strain, including logos, strain details, and cannabinoid profile.
Four digital cannabis product cards featuring Yuck Mouth strain, including logos, strain details, and cannabinoid profile.
Close-up of Grassroots cannabis product packaging with a leaf design and black and teal color scheme
A box labeled 'GRAASS:ROOTS' and a glass jar with a black lid containing cannabis buds, set against a teal background with black and white decorative splatters and patterns.
Boxes labeled 'GROUNDS' and 'CONCENTRATE FLIGHT' with small glass jars and a black spoon in front, set against a dark background.
Boxes labeled 'GROUNDS' and 'CONCENTRATE FLIGHT' with small glass jars and a black spoon in front, set against a dark background.
Three cylindrical containers of Grassroots gummy rings, including Green Apple and Cherry flavors, with blue backgrounds, white lids, and colorful text.
Three cylindrical containers of Grassroots gummy rings, including Green Apple and Cherry flavors, with blue backgrounds, white lids, and colorful text.