In a world where cannabis was once whispered about behind closed doors, few companies have done more to bring the plant into the mainstream than MedMen. Long before cannabis was treated like a luxury commodity or a lifestyle accessory, MedMen saw a gap in the market—and, more importantly, in the message. Through calculated cannabis public relations, sleek branding, and a firm grip on visual storytelling, MedMen helped change how cannabis was seen in the public imagination. Their campaigns didn’t just promote a product—they cultivated a perception shift. And in doing so, they offered a masterclass in how to use PR to build a disruptive brand in a still-controversial space.
Normalizing the Product by Rebranding the Culture
Cannabis has always had an image problem. Long associated with counterculture, criminality, and laziness, it struggled to gain respect in mainstream circles—even as legalization efforts gained traction across the U.S. and Canada. MedMen recognized early on that legalization was not just a policy shift; it was a culture shift—and culture shifts need cultural leaders. From the start, MedMen made it clear that they weren’t just selling cannabis—they were selling a lifestyle. Their retail spaces looked like high-end tech stores, complete with minimalist design, knowledgeable “budtenders,” and digital menus. This wasn’t a head shop—it was a cannabis boutique. And that visual shift alone started to dismantle decades of stigma.
“Forget Stoner” – A Campaign That Rewrote the Script
Perhaps the most iconic move in MedMen’s PR playbook was its “Forget Stoner” campaign—a bold, polished advertising initiative that ran across major cities, including on billboards and digital platforms. The campaign featured striking, diverse portraits: a suited professional, a grandmother, an artist—all cannabis users. The tagline? “Forget Stoner.” This simple message carried enormous cultural weight. It reframed cannabis use as something integrated, responsible, and human. It invited people to reconsider what a cannabis consumer looked like—and by extension, who legalization was for. Unlike stereotypical ads that leaned into marijuana leaf iconography and neon green color schemes, MedMen leaned away. Their ads were people-forward, sophisticated, and approachable. It wasn’t about rebellion; it was about inclusion.
Positioning Cannabis as a Civil Rights Issue
Another shrewd component of MedMen’s PR was how it engaged with the politics of legalization. While the company faced valid criticisms for its corporate structure and funding strategies, it managed to publicly align itself with social justice causes tied to cannabis reform—particularly expungement of cannabis-related criminal records.
The brand openly discussed cannabis’s racialized history and expressed support for legislative change, including collaborations with nonprofits and social equity programs. This strategic alignment wasn’t just ethically appropriate—it was smart PR. It placed MedMen on the right side of history and allowed the brand to tap into larger, values-based conversations without sounding opportunistic.
Leveraging Celebrity Influence Without Losing the Mission
In a market as crowded as cannabis, celebrity endorsement is a double-edged sword. Used poorly, it reeks of commercialism and shallow branding. Used well, it can provide enormous cultural validation.
MedMen understood this. Its high-profile collaboration with filmmaker Spike Jonze on the short film “The New Normal” was a subtle, cinematic triumph. The short wasn’t an ad in the traditional sense—it was a narrative journey through the history of cannabis criminalization, from Prohibition to present day. It closed with a vision of a normalized future, where cannabis was as uncontroversial as a glass of wine after work.
Jonze’s involvement gave the campaign a high-art gloss, while the story gave it purpose. It was educational without being preachy, emotional without being manipulative. And it positioned MedMen not just as a seller of products, but as a shaper of culture.
Consistency Across Touchpoints
What sets MedMen apart from many other cannabis brands is its relentless consistency. From packaging to store layout to employee uniforms to Instagram captions, the messaging has always been intentional, cohesive, and consumer-centric.
This consistency has built brand recognition in a way that’s rare in cannabis, where regulation often limits how products can be marketed. MedMen found legal workarounds by focusing not just on the product but on the experience, the identity, and the values of its target audience. They built a brand that didn’t need to say “weed” every five seconds to make its point.
Criticism, Crisis, and Course Correction
Of course, MedMen hasn’t been without its share of controversy. High executive turnover, legal battles with former employees, and financial mismanagement have all made headlines. But what’s important for this analysis is how the brand managed its public image even during turbulence.
Rather than retreat from the public eye, MedMen maintained its outward-facing communications, never abandoning the core pillars of its brand identity. It adjusted its tone, dialed down expansion rhetoric, and focused on operational transparency. While critics were loud, the brand’s public story never spiraled out of control.
That is no small PR feat in an industry where regulation, scandal, and skepticism are constants.
Lessons for Emerging Cannabis Brands
So, what can other cannabis companies learn from MedMen’s early PR successes?
- A Brand Is More Than a Logo: MedMen’s branding wasn’t just visual—it was narrative. Their campaigns told a story people wanted to be part of.
- Control the Retail Environment: In regulated industries, the physical space becomes part of the PR strategy. MedMen made its stores extensions of its message.
- Don’t Be Afraid to Go Big: While many brands feared backlash, MedMen went mainstream with its visibility. In doing so, it normalized cannabis for millions.
- Integrate, Don’t Isolate: PR and marketing worked hand-in-hand with policy engagement, partnerships, and community outreach. It wasn’t just advertising—it was ecosystem building.
Conclusion: The Power of Perception
MedMen didn’t invent modern cannabis, but they did help repackage it for the 21st century. Through masterful cannabis PR and cannabis marketing, they made cannabis not just acceptable—but aspirational. Their playbook wasn’t without flaws, but their success in shaping public perception remains one of the best case studies in cannabis communications to date.
In an industry still fighting for legitimacy, how you talk about your product matters just as much as the product itself. MedMen proved that PR is not just about spin—it’s about vision, discipline, and courage.
