Welcome to Prince Edward Island.
It’s about to get a whole lot greener.
And just like that…a new billion dollar industry was created overnight.
😀
We were challenged with the historic responsibility of not only branding PEI’s provincial regulatory and retail cannabis program, but also developing a system to educate the general public about cannabis. The two primary touchpoints were four retail locations and the e-commerce website, peicannabiscorp.com.
PEI Cannabis promised its customers regulated access to legalized cannabis products from a progressive retailer offering trusted expertise and support, and a convenient, pleasant shopping experience. Our goal was to design a brand that hit those notes—the sweet spot between a regulated substance and a fun, educational experience.

The Name
We chose to be direct—using a short and bold bilingual descriptor that is to the point without using any preloaded industrial or cultural jargon.
The Logo
We used thick, black lines with rounded edges for the wordmark and icon to establish clarity and approachability. The aesthetic is clean, calm, and professional without feeling clinical.
The Visual Identity
We focused on using fundamental design principles to develop a system of basic shapes and colours that coordinate between strains and cannabinoids. Local photography was used to build a rapport between the PEI landscape and the post-legalization cannabis culture.


The colour coordination and shape association run consistent across all marketing materials and in-store and online retail experiences.









Four retail stores were opened, with the Charlottetown location servicing the whole downtown area, and mostly catering to the +1.5 million tourists that visit PEI each year. All stores operate in tandem with the e-commerce website, selling a selection of dried flower, pre-rolls, oils, and gel capsules.
The in-store aesthetic focuses on clean lines, wood accents, digital screens, and natural light. The immersive experience provides interactive tablet stations allowing customers to simultaneously smell terpene aromas, and examine buds and trichomes through custom jars equipped with a magnifying glass.




CLIENT
Prince Edward Island Cannabis Management Corporation (PEICMC), under the branded name PEI Cannabis, is responsible for the distribution and sale of adult use cannabis in PEI, in partnership with the PEI Liquor Control Commission (PEILCC), and under the authority of the Cannabis Control Act.
CREDITS
Partner Agency: m5
Account Director: Bhreagh Rathbun
Account Director: Erin Bridges
Creative Director: Bruce Whelan
Art Director/Graphic Designer: Greg Dubeau
Copywriter: Adam Sterling
VP, Interactive: Mark Pike
Technical Director: Jason Morgan
Interactive Project Manager: Eddy St. Couer
Front-end Web Developer: Wichan Yingyongsomsawas
Website Partner: Shopify
Photographer: Alex Douglas
RESULTS
October 17, 2018—Opening day sales for PEI Cannabis was over $150,000.
PEI Cannabis stores sold $2.1 million worth of product in the first six weeks.
PEI Cannabis has the highest per capita cannabis spending for citizens living in Canada.