Lessons from Emily Paxhia on the High Touch Podcast
“It’s dangerous when people have an affinity for the product but not the brand.”
— Emily Paxhia, Managing Partner at Poseidon
In a market where the next gummy, pre-roll, or infused drink hits the shelf every week, brand has never mattered more — or been more misunderstood.
That’s one of the key takeaways from our conversation with Emily Paxhia, managing partner at Poseidon and one of the earliest institutional investors in cannabis. On the High Touch podcast, Emily shared what she’s learned from a decade in the industry — and why so many cannabis brands are still missing the mark.
Brand Is More Than Packaging — It’s Identity
A great brand isn’t just a catchy name or nice packaging. It’s a fully formed identity: something people can see themselves in, believe in, and share with others. And it takes more than just hiring a good agency to build.
Emily, who previously worked in brand strategy with companies like Pepsi, American Express, and HBO, breaks it down simply:
“You need a fully fledged brand idea. Something people can sink their teeth into and identify with. If it’s just about what’s inside the can, you’ve already lost.”
Red Flags: What Bad Brand Strategy Looks Like
Emily’s seen hundreds of pitch decks over the years. When we asked what immediately raises red flags, she didn’t hesitate.
“People say things like, ‘We’re creating the first cannabis beverage for women.’ That’s just not true — and it tells me they haven’t done their homework.”
It’s a signal that the team hasn’t studied the market, hasn’t differentiated meaningfully, and doesn’t understand their customer deeply. Without that foundation, your “brand” is just a facade.
Other red flags she mentioned:
- Generic visual identities that look like AI mashups
- “Lifestyle” claims without proof or community
- No product-to-brand linkage (i.e., your brand isn’t driving preference)
Lessons from Red Bull and Craft Beer
To illustrate what does work, Emily pointed to brands that built true cultural relevance — like Red Bull. They didn’t just sell an energy drink. They sold a lifestyle, sponsoring extreme athletes and embedding their brand into the edges of performance culture.
“They didn’t just get celebrities — they created them. They found people who were amazing at what they did and made them central to Red Bull’s world.”
In contrast, she points to the craft beer industry’s cautionary tale. Many consumers became fans of styles (e.g., West Coast IPA), not brands. Without a deeper emotional hook, breweries became interchangeable.
Why This Matters in Cannabis
Cannabis faces a risk of extreme commodification. With pricing pressures, THC-percentage obsession, and regulations limiting marketing, many brands get reduced to what’s cheapest or what’s strongest.
“People love a product, but they can’t remember who made it,” Emily said. “That’s a huge problem.”
For a cannabis brand to break through, it needs:
- A clear and differentiated point of view
- Strong linkage between brand and product experience
- A sense of cultural or emotional affinity
- A plan to build loyalty even in a restrictive landscape
Bright Spots in the Market
One example Emily highlighted is Sunburn, a Florida-based cannabis brand Poseidon backed. It’s named after a real DEA operation that once targeted the founder’s father, a legendary cannabis smuggler. Now, that legacy — once illegal — is reclaimed and reimagined as the heart of the brand.
“There are newspaper clippings on the dispensary walls. The receipts have old headlines on the back. It’s immersive. It’s personal. And it’s fun.”
The key takeaway? A good brand knows what it stands for — and expresses that across every touchpoint, from packaging to retail to employee training.
Final Thought: Start With a Point of View
The cannabis industry is still growing up. And in a landscape where differentiation is hard and marketing channels are limited, your brand POV is your best asset.
“Consumers want to identify with what they buy. If your brand doesn’t help them do that, someone else’s will.”
🎧 Listen to the full episode with Emily Paxhia
on High Touch — available wherever you get your podcasts.
