Episode 230: SphereX VP of Marketing reveals How Free Roller Skates Built a Cannabis Empire

June 23 · 14 min · Episode 230 · 35.8 MB

0:00-14:55

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When your Halloween party draws 700 people, you're doing something right. Katie Mattox, VP of Marketing at SphereX, explains how a distillate vape company captured 20% of Colorado's market by throwing roller skating parties and giving away unexpected gifts instead of just pushing products.

Drawing from a decade at an event agency working with Budweiser and Michelob Ultra, she translated liquor marketing strategies to cannabis with remarkable results. The approach centers on emotional connections, not just transactions. While Colorado's cannabis industry declined since 2021 as tourism dried up, SphereX thrived by offering dispensaries twenty-five percent kickbacks on wholesale purchases for marketing reinvestment. This creative support allowed partners to run customized campaigns, from billboards to local artist collaborations.

Recently, the brand expanded beyond vapes into adaptogenic mushroom gummies targeting older demographics. Their sleep gummies with five milligrams of THC and reishi have become particularly popular with novice consumers. SphereX also demonstrates values-driven marketing by supporting LGBTQ causes, recognizing the community's foundational role in cannabis culture.

What makes customers return after trying a product just once? Listen to discover how SphereX plans to double production capacity to 500,000 carts monthly by 2026.

Chapters:

00:00:04 - Colorado Cannabis Brand Product Lineup Overview

00:01:20 - Understanding Different Consumer Demographics and Values

00:02:46 - Supporting LGBTQ+ Causes in Cannabis

00:04:21 - From Roller Skating Events to Community Impact

00:05:06 - Building Emotional Connections in Cannabis Branding

00:06:16 - Creative Marketing Strategies for Cannabis Brands

00:08:05 - Building Trust Through Unexpected Gifts

00:09:45 - Marketing Reinvestment Program for Dispensaries

00:11:34 - Doubling Production Capacity in 2026

00:12:46 - Building Brand Connection Through Large-Scale Events

00:14:38 - THC Edibles with Reishi for Relaxation