Over the past decade, cannabis has evolved from counterculture to commerce. Though in many ways, the public conversation still hasn’t caught up. With federal legalization still an uncertainty, the hurdles are heightened.
For brands navigating a complex, often stigmatized industry, visibility is a survival strategy. Media, education, and strategic storytelling can shape perception, influence policy, and drive real business outcomes.
Today, with more voices in the market than ever, thought leadership isn’t just for founders with name recognition. It is a critical tool for every cultivator, manufacturer, dispensary, and ancillary business ready to lead with purpose.
Thought leadership is also one of the most effective tools in the marketing arsenal. If leveraged correctly, a thought leadership campaign will propel your brand to the top of the awareness funnel and help it stay there in perpetuity.
So how do you execute a successful thought leadership campaign? Here’s a guide to get you started.
Lean in to your expertise
You started a company and now you want to increase your customer base and business pipeline. You also want current investors and stakeholders to feel good about their commitment to your company. What sets you apart? What is different about your brand than dozens of other competitors on the market? What is your story?
Once you firmly identify your assets and unique proposition points, write them down, include them in your bio and LinkedIn pages, share with your marketing teams, integrate them on your website and share them with your friends and community. You own your story. Leverage it to the hilt.
Write a series of bylines
Bylines are a great opportunity to position yourself as an expert and a strong extension of your company. Make a schedule of writing one every six weeks and shop it around to different outlets. They can also be posted on the company website and cross posted on LinkedIn, and even your own Substack. Bylines can’t be too self-serving or they won’t be accepted. Look for a balance of sharing knowledge, best practices and advice, and remember to keep the tone objective. Access to good data is limited in cannabis, so utilizing any proprietary or public data will help fuel these pieces as well. Aim for 600-800 words.
News Monitoring
If you are in this industry you are undoubtedly reading key news outlets, Substacks, newsletters, LinkedIn posts and magazines. What are the trends that you see being covered? What is your perspective on these topics? Start sharing your opinion. Have your marketing team reach out to the reporters covering these relevant issues and offer your commentary. Or better yet, reach out to the reporters and sites directly and engage with them. Own the narrative and use it to increase your brand profile.
Loving LinkedIn
LinkedIn is the primary platform for B2B positioning. In the last five years its user base has expanded, rapidly growing from 690 million in 2020 to 1.1 billion today! LinkedIn can be easily leveraged by engaging with others, reposting content, commenting on posts,
linking articles, conducting live chats and a multitude of other brand building tactics. It is a low lift with great ROI potential.
Conferences
National and regional events are the backbone of the cannabis industry. It’s impossible to be at all of them, however it is possible to stand out when you are attending them. Every event has opportunities to speak. Make the time to fill out each speaking application carefully and stay current with the events that stand out to you. Even if the speaker roster is full, reach out to apply anyway. There are always cancellations affording last minute opportunities. A speaker slot will build authority and credibility.
Podcasting
Whether you are a guest or have ambitiously launched your own, Podcasts afford you the opportunity to share your ideas, passions and vision to a dedicated audience. Though the audience is not generally mass media in size, they tend to attract listeners who share the same intensity and dedication you have for your cannabis company. There are very few outliers in the mix, allowing you to communicate with other business leaders who could help fuel the growth of your company by unleashing new connections. If you have the time, personality and interest, you can launch your own podcast. The cost of entry is low and in time the halo effect can yield great results.
Also Read: Last Week in Weed: August 19- 26, 2025
No Time Like the Present
The tactics outlined above work. That we can say with confidence. Having executed thought leadership campaigns for brands, startups, industry associations and service organizations for the past four decades, we can attest to these initiatives. Since running a business is time intensive, along with putting out proverbial fires and keeping abreast of regulatory changes, we recommend at least picking one or two tactical ideas, and build from there. Your brand will benefit in this competitive marketplace.
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Lori Rosen is the founder and president of Rosen Group, an award-winning, fully integrated public relations firm based in New York City. A media industry veteran and early cannabis communications pioneer, she has spent four decades leading breakthrough campaigns rooted in creativity and purpose. Rosen Group specializes in media awareness and thought leadership for a diverse roster of clients, with a strong focus on cannabis brands.
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