How Papa & Barkley Bussed 100 Seniors to a Dispensary—and Why It Worked

In a cannabis industry where “breaking through” often means competing for the same consumers with the same tactics, Angela Pih did something radically different.

She got on a bus.

Actually, she put three full buses of seniors on the road, 100 first-time cannabis customers, to be exact, and took them on a highly curated journey from education to purchase. The campaign was called Desert Activation, and it didn’t just introduce a new demographic to cannabis. It created loyal customers and measurable retail results.

Here’s how it worked—and why it should be a blueprint for experiential marketing in cannabis.

The Challenge: Build Demand from the Ground Up

Papa & Barkley, known for its premium, wellness-first products, was already successful with health-conscious shoppers. But the brand saw a clear opportunity to reach a high-potential yet underserved audience: older adults living in Palm Springs and Palm Desert—what Pih calls the “active aging” segment.

These consumers had real needs—localized pain, mobility challenges, chronic discomfort—but little to no cannabis experience. The usual channels wouldn’t cut it. They needed education, trust, and guidance.

So Angela’s team built the campaign from scratch—starting not at the point of sale, but at the very beginning of the customer journey.

The Campaign: “Desert Activation” from Education to Retail

The campaign was structured as a 360° path-to-purchase experience that included:

• In-person cannabis education sessions at assisted living facilities
  Angela and her team delivered Cannabis 101 workshops, covering everything from cannabinoids to topicals to the endocannabinoid system. These sessions built curiosity and addressed concerns in a safe, familiar environment.
  
  
• Pre-scheduled dispensary tours
  After the workshop, seniors could sign up for a guided dispensary visit the following week. Papa & Barkley partnered with MJ Tours to provide transportation and coordinated inventory with local retailers in advance.
  
  
• Budtender and retail team education
  Store staff were briefed and prepared to welcome these new shoppers, many of whom had never set foot in a dispensary.
  
  
• Pre-orders for frictionless purchase
  Brand reps even placed orders ahead of time, so seniors could walk in, pick up their products, and feel confident about what they were buying.

The Results: High-Intent Customers, High-Basket Sales

At its peak, the campaign brought 100 seniors across three busloads into a single dispensary in Palm Desert. Each participant had been pre-educated, primed for a specific product set, and felt comfortable with the retail experience before they ever stepped through the door.

• Average basket size: $160+
• Product type: Primarily Papa & Barkley’s $80+ topicals and wellness SKUs

Why It Worked: Niche Targeting + Lifestyle Alignment

This wasn’t just a cute marketing stunt. It was an example of how to do lifestyle alignment right:

• The messaging matched the audience’s concerns (pain relief, mobility, natural remedies).
• The environment (retirement communities) provided safety and trust.
• The brand met customers where they were, both physically and emotionally.

And because it was rooted in real education, not gimmicks, it created lasting customer relationships and long-tail loyalty.

“We weren’t just meeting customers where they were—we were creating customers where they were,” Angela explained.

Lessons for Cannabis Marketers

Angela Pih’s Desert Activation campaign is more than a feel-good story. It’s a tactical case study with takeaways every cannabis marketer should consider:

• Education comes before conversion. Don’t expect a sale before you earn trust.
  
  
• Make retail a destination. The in-store moment should feel curated, not chaotic.
  
  
• Meet people in their routine. From location to language, speak to the lifestyle they already live.

Don’t be afraid to go deep. Broad reach doesn’t equal relevance. One hundred highly engaged, high-intent customers can beat 10,000 passive impressions.