Drop the Label

A new cannabis product line geared toward women has sparked a little controversy in the liberal state of Oregon. Freya is a new line of cannabis vape pens, oils and flowers that is marketed specifically toward women.

The same company that makes Freya also produces a line of vape pens, oils and flowers for men called Odin. In an interview with Michelle Lindars, the Brand Manager of Odin and Freya, she shared the difference between the two lines, “We do also have our Odin line of vape pens, which has a more masculine look and feel that is slightly larger with a really sleek, modern look.”

While many women thoroughly enjoy and appreciate these high-quality, feminine-branded products, there is a growing cultural trend, which calls to end marketing two similar products differently, as one for women and one for men. One reason activists hope to end gender-specific marketing is because products aimed toward women are typically more expensive than those marketed to men. Fortunately, Freya and Odin are both being sold at the same price point, which helps to eliminate this concern in particular.

“Traditional views of gender are moving faster in culture than in advertising. Acknowledging stereotypes is not enough—our industry must lead the change.”

Another concern with products that utilize gender-specific marketing is that there is an assumption that women and men genders are vastly different, which the brand itself has noticed is not the case. Lindars shared, “The response to Freya has been amazing and not just from women. The ease of use and the smooth draw appeal to everyone.”

With the cultural acceptance of gender fluidity growing and with the overlapping of what qualities individuals identify as masculine or feminine, is there any reason to market two similar products specifically to men or women? According to a recent article by The Guardian, “Traditional views of gender are moving faster in culture than in advertising. Acknowledging stereotypes is not enough—our industry must lead the change.” It was therefore unsettling when Lindars stated, “Women can be complicated, Freya is simple.”

There are various marketing campaigns that have opposed this idea that women and men are vastly different just because of their gender. One company that showed their knowledge of the shifting cultural perspective of gender is a major retailer. Last year, Target decided to drop gender-specific store signage by removing its classification of “girls” versus “boys” toys, home goods and entertainment, although the gendered classification does remain for clothing.

Beyond “political correctness,” it’s important to understand the research conducted around gender-neutrality and what impact it can have on business and future profits. A study done by The NDP Group shows that a majority of millennials under the age of 35 agree that the toy industry in particular perpetuates gender stereotyping and would like to see gender-neutral marketing for all toys. As millennials continue to get older and have children, these values will not only influence their purchases of goods, but will be passed along to their children as well.

It appears then that marketers should start considering gender-neutral marketing if they want to stay competitive and market to the growing generation of consumers. While we appreciate the growing trend of women making big moves in the cannabis industry, female cannabis consumers might be able to do without a product geared toward complicated women.