The New Name and Logo for Ontario’s Marijuana Stores Has Been Revealed

We’ve all heard that under the new provincially regulated cannabis regime, Ontario will be distributing legal marijuana through the LCBO, as the liquor monopoly will be selling soon-to-be-legalized cannabis out of a series of future stand-alone CCBO (Cannabis Control Board of Ontario) stores.

But of course, the store will need a name and logo to distinguish itself apart from the selling of alcohol. Well today, that name and logo has been unveiled…as the Ontario Cannabis Store, aka OCS.

This is the new logo:

As the newly minted OCS explains, the name is designed to “convey a safe, simple and approachable environment for consumers, and agency employees, in a clear and easily understood manner.”

“We are confident the brand name and logo will help ensure Ontarians are able to safely and easily identify Ontario Cannabis Stores as the sole legal retailer of non-medical cannabis in Ontario.”, OCS concluded in its statement.

The LCBO said they paid $650,000 to come up with the new logo.

Besides the name and logo unveiling, the OCS has also confirmed that Shopify will be powering the in-store and online sales channels for them. Shopify’s software is designed to support businesses who sell across multiple channels, including mobile, social media, brick-and-mortar shops and more.

Shopify will provide a cloud-based retail solution for both on and offline sales, so consumers can have a reliable and integrated shopping experience across desktop, mobile and in-store points-of-sale. They will also supply the technology to power screens throughout the physical stores that give consumers product and health information which will follow federal guidelines and marketing provisions.

The in-store point-of-sale system will operate through iPad hardware.

Finally, because this is a LCBO style government monopoly, the OCS also presented the inaugural Board of Directors for the Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation:

• Susan Pigott (Chair), who previously chaired the Ontario Mental Health and Addictions Leadership Advisory Council for the Minister of Health.

• David Graham, Integrated VP and CFO at St. Joseph’s Health Centre.

• Ira Kagan, founding Partner, Kagan Shastri LLP

• Susan Robinson, current member of LCBO Board of Directors

• Lori Spadorcia, VP of Communications at CAMH

More information on the LCBO Cannabis update can be found here.

Former Ontario Premier Bill Davis once said the key to his political success was ‘being bland works’. Maybe it worked for him back in the day, but if we’re trying to sell this stuff, perhaps a more ‘outgoing’ or flashy brand would have done more to captivate audiences?

Then again, the new look does give off an air of sophistication, wouldn’t you agree?

Don’t take my word for it; several tweets have already gone out providing their thoughts on the new logo.

What do you think?

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