No single product is more associated with the modern cannabis industry than the humble pre-roll.
Beyond its convenience, it has become a canvas for innovation, allowing both consumers and producers an opportunity to try something new while pushing the creative envelope. In fact, the pre-roll segment is the fastest-growing segment in the industry, and pre-rolls are one of the top add-ons at any dispensary. Everyone smokes pre-rolls.
But the problem with pre-rolls is that, well, they all kind of look alike. And while your packaging may be unique and distinctive, once your pre-roll is out of its package, it can look like anyone else’s product, which means that there’s a good chance the people in the session will not know which brand’s product they’re smoking.
That changes when you customize your pre-rolled cones to reflect your branding and message.
The Importance of Branding
Branding drives differentiation, trust, and loyalty across the consumer packaged goods space. Those effects are amplified in cannabis, where product experience, packaging and regulatory constraints make the brand the primary way to stand out on store shelves.
According to our 2024 consumer survey, branding is the third most important thing that drives consumer choice for pre-rolls, following potency and price.
And because pre-rolls are a frequent add-on or impulse buy, they can often be a shopper’s first experience with the brand. It’s an entry point to discover additional flower or concentrate offerings. They are also frequently shared with friends in larger sessions.
That makes it especially important to include your branding or message not only on the packaging, but the actual pre-roll itself. The packaging is not what’s being shared, after all. It’s the pre-roll itself that smokers are seeing the most.
And as a real-world example, all five of the top-selling pre-roll brands in the country, according to data from Headset, use custom branded filter tips to ensure that smokers always know exactly where their session’s pass-around is coming from and where they can get another like it.
Customizing Your Cannabis Pre-Rolls
The best way to brand your pre-rolls is with customized filter tips.
Placing your brand’s name, logo, or message directly on the filter tip ensures people see it while smoking or passing. You can even insert a printed filter inside a glass tip to create a premium pre-roll that still carries your message.
From simple designs featuring just a logo to full-color patterns and imagery, customizing the filter helps your pre-rolls stand out in a sea of similarity.
Beyond printing directly onto the filter tip, producers can choose to add custom cigar bands, available in just about any shape, size and color with options like premium foil and Spot UV finishes available. Cigar bands even work great on pre-rolled blunts, where the filter itself may not be visible through the wrap.
Brands can also choose to add custom external wraps that fit around the outside of the filter. Unlike the filter itself, which typically uses thicker white paper, external wraps use foil or spot UV finishes to create a premium look. Like a cigar band, they are a great way to customize and brand a pre-roll with a non-transparent wrap.
Designer Filter Tips
Even if you’re not ready to go all-in on customization, one simple way to help your pre-rolls stand out is by adding pre-printed designer filter tips to your pre-rolled cones.
No matter what type of paper you use, a simple pop of color shining through is all but sure to draw eyeballs and attention and make smokers take notice of exactly what they are passing around.
Designer filter tips are also a great way to help distinguish between different pre-roll offerings within your brand. Different colors can signify seasonal and exclusive products or distinguish between strains, while pre-printed tips featuring “sativa,” “indica,” “hybrid” or even “infused” can help smokers recognize the differences between products and brands.
Customized Packaging
Finally, while branding the pre-roll itself is a guaranteed way to make sure your message stays at the forefront of any session, do not neglect the packaging itself.
From custom labels and shrink sleeves that advertise your brand and its vibe on traditional doob tubes to specially designed boxes and embossed tins and packaging with unique die lines, make sure your pre-roll stands out, or else you could be losing business.
Key Takeaways:
- Why are pre-rolls so important in today’s cannabis market?
Pre-rolls are the fastest-growing product segment in cannabis and one of the most common add-ons at dispensaries. They’re often a customer’s first interaction with a brand. - What’s the biggest branding challenge with pre-rolls?
Once removed from their packaging, most pre-rolls look identical. During a session, consumers may not know which brand they’re smoking unless the pre-roll itself is branded. - Does branding really influence pre-roll purchasing decisions?
Yes. According to our 2024 consumer survey, branding is the third most important factor influencing pre-roll choice, behind potency and price. - Why brand the pre-roll itself instead of just the packaging?
Packaging isn’t what gets shared during a session—the pre-roll is. Branding the cone or filter ensures your brand stays visible while people are actually smoking. - What’s the most effective way to customize pre-rolls?
Custom filter tips are the most effective option. Printing your logo, name, or message directly on the filter guarantees visibility while smoking or passing. - Are there other ways to customize pre-rolls besides filter tips?
Yes. Brands can use custom cigar bands, external wraps, glass filter inserts, or designer filter tips to create premium, differentiated products. - Is packaging still important if the pre-roll is branded?
Yes. Custom tubes, boxes, tins, and labels help your product stand out on shelves and set expectations before purchase. - Why does pre-roll branding matter long term?
With hundreds of millions of pre-rolls sold each year, customization ensures that when consumers enjoy your product, they know exactly which brand to seek out next.
Concluding Thoughts on Branding Cannabis Pre-Rolls
According to the data, nearly 340 million pre-roll products were sold through the first 11 months of this year in the markets tracked by Headset, generating more than $3 billion in revenue.
That’s a lot of pre-rolls being passed around.
And by customizing your pre-rolls with your brand’s logo and message, you can make sure that everyone who enjoys your product will know what to look for the next time they head to a dispensary or retail shop.
*This is a Guest Blog written by Brian Beckley of Custom Cones USA. Contact the Pre-Roll Experts at Custom Cones USA today to see how their team of skilled custom cone-designers can assist you in creating the customized pre-roll that’s right for your brand.
