Trailblazers with Nima Fadavi of Verticals Agency

This week’s Trailblazer is Nima Fadavi, President of Verticals Agency, a boutique full-service marketing agency, creative studio, and content distributor specializing in music and lifestyle.

Questions with a Cannabis Marketing Trailblazer

When did you first become involved in the cannabis industry and why?

I’ve been in the music industry for over 15 years and naturally started to grow into the cannabis industry from the people I was around. Working with Berner on the music and streetwear side was really some of my earliest introductions. I was just around the culture and I was helping with marketing on other things so it was a natural progression into the cannabis side.

What has been the biggest marketing challenge you have faced when working with cannabis companies/brands?

The biggest challenges are having to get really creative with how you market. There’s so many restrictions for what you can and can’t do, accounts getting deleted, etc. You have to really get creative with utilizing certain platforms and how to approach things different than you’d approach any other industry.

If you could change one of the current Canadian or American marketing restrictions on cannabis, which would it be?

I would lift restrictions on digital advertising. The ability to scale a brand and drive sales through ad networks such as Facebook and Instagram has an incredible ROI, but due to their restrictions, cannabis companies are not allowed to use those platforms… which is very unfortunate, so we have to work a lot harder to achieve certain results that should be a lot quicker and easier.

In your observation, what marketing techniques or channels have been most effective for cannabis companies looking to connect with consumers?

Content creation, authentic story telling, and Influencer marketing. A lot of these techniques all feed into each other, making sure you have great content to help tell your brand story and using influencers to help amplify that message and drive traffic and conversions for you.

Are there any other Trailblazers in the cannabis industry that you follow?

I wouldn’t say one person necessarily but entire companies as a whole team. I’m very proud of the team we’ve built at Verticals Agency and they’re the reason the company is successful. I’m inspired by everyone on our team that continue to push the boundaries and help brands.

What is one tip or piece of advice you would give to marketers looking to enter the cannabis industry?

I see a lot of people jumping into the cannabis industry just because they think its a money making opportunity but know nothing about the culture. If you want to enter the cannabis industry, learn the culture, be part of it, learn it before trying to come into something just because you believe its the new hot thing.

A big thank you to Nima for participating as this week’s Trailblazer! Stay tuned for another interview with a cannabis marketing Trailblazer next Thursday in the ADCANN blog.

Interested in working with one of these talented cannabis marketers? Check out our Agency Directory for a list of all the agencies that specialize in working with cannabis companies.