Walk any cannabis trade show floor, and you’ll notice the industry still rocks a pretty consistent color pattern involving greens, blues, and black amongst the booths and product packaging. But when I showed up to Network Show in Long Beach, California, I was delighted to see my favorite color having a moment at Network Show: pink!
For many years, cannabis has often been viewed as marketed towards men more so than women. From the booth babes wearing bikinis to the masculine packaging, women are often forgotten when it comes to cannabis.
But at Network Show, the vibes were different.
RELATED: “Collaboration over competition”: Latinas in Cannabis Summit takes center stage
Brands were showing off their latest products marketed towards women while having appropriately dressed women working their booths. The number of women walking the show floor was a delight to see compared to some “bro-fest” events I’ve attended in the past. Network Show even had a videographer walking around asking women inspiring and empowering questions about the industry.
I felt seen, heard, and included.
The girly pop vibe booths that caught my attention the most were Galaxy Girl & Pretty Dope; both were pink on pink on pink! I enjoyed that Pretty Dope called their one-gram kief and diamond-coated pre-rolls “Diamond Dust”. And at their booth, guests had the opportunity to get in line for a chance to make DIY lip gloss, adding terpenes, pigment, and sparkle, or Permanent Jewelry, choosing a ring, bracelet, or anklet, which was absolutely pretty dope.
Dime Industries had a pink and black booth where they gave out delicious donuts in celebration of their new single live rosin “donut” pre-rolls.
In my quest for pink, I found a plethora of more products from so many different brands:
- St.Ides Wild Raspberry 100 mg THC “High Tea”
- Kanha Fast Acting Nano Belts made with solventless live rosin
- Stealthy all-in-one vape device that allows you to exhale into it for the ultimate discreet experience
- Papa’s Herb Bubba Gum all-in-one vape
- Space Gem Sweet Cherry Lemonade “mini gems” that are enhanced with Lion’s Mane Mushroom (Space Gem is a woman-owned & is a finalist for the Emjays!)
- Coastal Sun’s “Pink Oasis” infused pre-roll two-pack is a mix of Pink Certz flower and Oasis concentrate
- La Familia had “fresas con crema” infused chocolate
- Soma Rosa Farms had a beautifully packaged eighth of Original Glue
What makes Network Show so different from other trade shows is that it isn’t open to the public; it’s for brands, buyers, media, and VIP guests that are selected by the founding partners to attend.
This ensured that deals were getting done on the floor and brands participating could walk away with new retail partners. The representation of women-owned or women-operated brands was a true delight to see.
RELATED: Forget apples—this California farm is offering U-pick hemp
Women are founding the companies, formulating the products, and deciding what the packaging should look like. Pink, in this context, wasn’t a gimmick or a marketing afterthought. It’s a signal that the industry’s large consumer base is finally being focused on.
If this is what the next generation of cannabis brands looks like, I’ll gladly keep chasing the color down at every trade show floor I walk.
*This article was submitted by an unpaid guest contributor. The opinions or statements within do not necessarily reflect those of GreenState or HNP. The author is solely responsible for the content.