Auxly
Premise
As one of the largest cannabis groups in Canada, Auxly sought to generate awareness and brand loyalty among cannabis buyers for their Back Forty brand with a fun campaign encouraging the bold reclamation of personal time.
To embody the spirit of freedom and break from traditional tactics in the recreational cannabis industry, we created The National Sparks Department, a fictional organization devoted to life’s opportunities for recreation, especially through the valley of our planet’s precious resources and incredible ecosystems. The NSD is dedicated to fostering awareness and direct action in the spirit of this mission, through initiatives like the Monday Conservationist program, in pursuit of achieving the Monday Merries™ for those who plant their roots in the back forty.
Location
Canada
The stake in the ground
Through a collaborative workshopping process with Auxly, we identified the cultural pillars of the brand ethos and defining qualities of the brand as it stands out within the cannabis industry at large. A commitment to preserving our natural ecosystems emerged as a brand value, inherent in the name of the product line and the product’s origin story–alluding to the back forty acres of property, used for natural space and left intentionally undeveloped.
The National Sparks Department Homepage
Wild at heart
We imbued all work with the value of preservation, appreciation, and engagement with nature, when developing the National Sparks Department. The NSD presumed a comedic sense of authority as a weed-based parks department that encourages its citizens to skip work, get outside, and take the day back. Our wild postings campaign features a phone number you can call (1-855-MONDAZE) for resources like fake voicemail messages to get you out of work.
Back Forty wild postings
Distributed in every major market in Canada
It's all about a walkabout
The National Sparks Dept. brand language is ingrained with Back Forty's same sense of recreation, exploration, and return to Mother Earth. Graphics included custom illustrations whenever possible, drawing on the simplicity of forms to stay grounded.
Web in front
The online destination for the National Sparks Department has proven to be a fertile ground for posting content we can't always get away with on the Back Forty site. Serving as the hub for empowering people to get out of work and enjoy the Monday Merries™, we created distractions like Mad Libs and playlists, and an actual toolkit to skip out on work.
Your Monday Journal
At the National Sparks Department, we believe that using intention to document your Mondays is the best way to be living in the moment, and a record also provides a place to reflect on both the triumphs and failures of your Monday excursions. So we created a journal and guide for folks to take time each Monday to journal their activities and thoughts.
