OPTIMIST — WEED. GOOD.
Most cannabis brands either take themselves too seriously—weed should be fun. So, Daniel Dranove (Cards Against Humanity), a few others, and I launched Optimist, a cannabis brand built on marketing, tech, and philanthropy.
I designed a recyclable vape, it’s packaging, a website and other swag. We then spent two years finding the right cannabis partner, and finally launched Optimist in October 2021. Sales were solid, but smart vapes weren’t the rocket ship we hoped for—so we pivoted to pre-rolls and flower. That’s when the real fun began.
Make a difference with your drug money.
50% of Optimist’s profits went to various worthy causes. We launched with a $10,000 donation to the Stop Trump Pac, (because democracy works best when you throw money at it).
OPTIMIST— HOLE of GLORY
We re-launched the brand at Hall of Flowers, Palm Springs in May of 2022 with a bold, irreverent stunt that had everyone talking—The Optimist Hole of Glory! Our not-so-secret glory hole dished out an unpredictable mix of prizes, swag, and gag gifts that turned heads and sparked conversations across the convention floor, (think pickled eggs in a bag, bananas, kiwis, Cards Against Humanity ‘Weed Pack’ expansion packs, stickers, headbands, Japanese novelty sodas, condoms, raw meat (yes, really), and even coupons redeemable for our weed at the onsite dispensary).
On Day 1, no one knew who we were. By Day 2, we had lines down the aisle with people shouting things like…
“Are you seriously giving away weed in a glory hole?!”
Mission accomplished. And it wasn’t just for laughs—it worked. The buzz we generated helped us land several high-profile retail accounts across California.