Transforming Brand Visibility and Customer Engagement for Alien Labs

In the highly competitive cannabis industry, standing out is crucial for sustained growth. Alien Labs, a leading cannabis brand, faced challenges in enhancing brand visibility, attracting new customers, and fostering customer loyalty. Partnering with Tuff Ghost Media, they implemented a strategic digital marketing plan focusing on AlpineIQ and IHeartJane platforms to achieve remarkable results.

Goals

1. Increase Brand Visibility: Strengthen online presence through targeted digital advertising and strategic partnerships.
2. Boost Customer Acquisition: Attract new customers through innovative marketing campaigns and personalized digital experiences.
3. Enhance Customer Loyalty: Foster long-term customer relationships by leveraging personalized engagement tools and loyalty programs.

Industry Trends

The cannabis industry has seen a significant shift towards e-commerce, with consumers increasingly preferring online shopping for convenience and discretion. Mobile traffic dominates, emphasizing the need for mobile-optimized content. Engaging content like blogs, videos, and social media posts are driving brand awareness and customer engagement. Key terms like ‘weed near me’ are on the rise, presenting a prime opportunity for brands to capture this growing search traffic.

Key Platforms for Digital Marketing

AlpineIQ (AIQ)

AlpineIQ is a customer engagement and loyalty platform that provides personalized digital experiences and scalable brand awareness through email and SMS marketing. It offers:

• Personalized Experiences: Tailored communications and offers based on customer behavior and preferences.
• Loyalty Building: Rewards and incentives to encourage repeat purchases.
• Scalable Marketing: Large-scale, targeted email and SMS campaigns to increase brand reach.

IHeartJane (IHJ)

IHeartJane is a third-party digital menu platform used by cannabis retailers to display their products. It allows users to browse products, view details, and checkout directly from the menu. Key benefits include:

• Increased Brand Visibility: Ensuring the brand appears prominently in the shopping experience.
• Enhanced Customer Engagement: Seamless interaction with the brand throughout the shopping journey.
• Convenience: Simplified purchasing process leading to higher conversion rates.

Implementation and Results

AlpineIQ for Personalized Engagement

By integrating AlpineIQ, Alien Labs was able to:

• Customer Segmentation: Gather data from retail POS and segment customers based on behavior and preferences.
• Targeted Marketing: Send personalized email and SMS campaigns, along with push notifications.
• Loyalty Programs: Implement rewards and incentives, encouraging repeat purchases and long-term loyalty.
• Analytics and Reporting: Track campaign performance and gain insights into customer behavior.

Results from May

• Jack Box + Tropical Z Launch
• Flower and Edibles Audience Targeting for Weekly Deals
• BYBO Kit Promo Campaign Activation

These campaigns significantly increased customer engagement and sales, with targeted messaging driving higher open rates and conversions.

IHeartJane for Brand Visibility

On IHeartJane, Alien Labs achieved:

• Top Placement: Ads ensuring the brand appeared at the top of menus and specific categories.
• High Traffic: Increased exposure from IHJ’s large number of shoppers.
• Seamless Shopping: Users engaged with the brand throughout their shopping journey, enhancing satisfaction and loyalty.

Key Ad Metrics

• Ad Investment: $125K
• Ad GMV: $1.76M
• ROAS: 14x
• New Customers: 9.85K
• CAC: $12.75
• Share of Voice: ~8-12%

These metrics highlight the effectiveness of targeted advertising on IHJ, driving significant returns on ad spend and new customer acquisition.

Conclusion and Next Steps

The collaboration with Tuff Ghost Media enabled Alien Labs to:

• Increase Brand Visibility: Strengthened online presence through targeted digital advertising and strategic partnerships.
• Boost Customer Acquisition: Attracted new customers through innovative marketing campaigns and personalized digital experiences.
• Enhance Customer Loyalty: Fostered long-term customer relationships through personalized engagement tools and loyalty programs.

Upcoming Key Launches

• Silver Spoon Strain Launch
• Space Face Strain Launch
• Alien Labs Rosin Launch
• BYBO Kit

Through continuous optimization and strategic planning, Alien Labs is poised to maintain its competitive edge and achieve sustained growth in the dynamic cannabis market.