Amidst this reality -- and amidst the fundamental transformation of the media world in which we all sit (and about which I regularly write) -- it is no surprise that new lifestyle multi-platform media companies (MPNs) have formed to address this "vertical" market (much in the same way that leading MPN Tastemade hits the food/travel vertical, Whistle Sports hits the sports vertical, DanceOn hits the dance/music vertical, and Machinima hits the gamer vertical). Best known to date is Snoop Dogg's recently launched Merry Jane.
Now, as of yesterday, a new cannabis-focused lifestyle media company has launched. It is called THE KIND. It is founded by an A-Team of players, including Phil Shalala, who worked with cannabis-focused Privateer Holdings and previously worked as long-time CMO of Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas (so they know their brand and how to differentiate it). And, on that note, it is different from Merry Jane and others by focusing more on the lifestyle of those who have made cannabis part of their lives, rather than focusing on the cannabis itself. THE KIND boldly announced itself yesterday with a "Manifesto" -- in which it proclaims that it "is a website about marijuana like how Victoria's Secret is a catalog about sex. We're not here to sell anything that everybody doesn't want already ... THE KIND recognizes the burgeoning cannabis movement as a mindful, likeminded community unusually attuned to all the world's wonders -- cultural and natural, small and large."
THE KIND is creative. THE KIND is authentic. THE KIND is passionate about its mission (hence announcing itself with its Manifesto). And, unlike others, The Kind is not mostly about celebrity. THE KIND features real journalism by real respected journalists -- and will leverage all forms of engagement including video of course -- but not forgetting that all of us still enjoy (and always will enjoy) the written word and compelling story-telling. I know all this because I work closely with THE KIND team as they enter our brave new multi-platform digital world that offers new forms of (and deeper) engagement than ever before possible. Multi-platform media is, as most of you know, a central area of focus for me and my team at Manatt Digital Media.
We believe in THE KIND as a potentially highly scalable and impactful differentiated voice and business. And, we absolutely believe the times are right for new major cannabis-focused lifestyle media companies (just like they are and have been for other vertically-focused lifestyle MPNs). Whether or not cannabis is a part of your life (or the lives of others around you), all of you in digital media should definitely check it out.
Here is THE KIND's full Manifesto:
THE KIND is a website about marijuana like how Victoria’s Secret is a catalog about sex. We’re not here to sell anything that everybody doesn’t want already.
If you’re reading this, chances are it’s because you’re part of a shared cannabis mindset that is expanding across all demographics, spreading even faster than weed laws are changing. We are men, women, old and young, across all racial and income and education brackets, encompassing every spectrum of politics, sexuality, and religious attitude.
We have all arrived at one common core understanding—that cannabis offers a quality-of-life enhancement both individually and to our society collectively.
From the business point of view, this revolutionary confluence signals the birth of an industry. A ton of smart money is betting on legalized weed creating a bonanza of billion-dollar buyouts. The trick is to get in on the early adopter floor, and leverage to cash out when the wave of consumer demand reaches peak swell.
THE KIND RECOGNIZES THIS BURGEONING CANNABIS MOVEMENT AS A MINDFUL, LIKEMINDED COMMUNITY UNUSUALLY ATTUNED TO ALL THE WORLD’S WONDERS—CULTURAL AND NATURAL, SMALL AND LARGE.
All of us at THE KIND are fully cognizant that without a marketplace, our online publication would be launching into a void.
Our biz-dev consultants have strongly urged The Kind to position itself—in a list of branded bullet points—as the singular voice of authority presiding over a Wild West of profit frenzy. The site has been advised to trumpet its intention to impose best practices, raise industry standards, influence outcomes, craft a glowing future of weed abundance.
Maybe we will become the Forbes of THC profiteering. We’re open to it.
But looking beyond the limitless dollar horizon, THE KIND recognizes this burgeoning cannabis movement as a mindful, likeminded community unusually attuned to all the world’s wonders—cultural and natural, small and large.
Our editors and artists are more comfortable advocating the entertain-and-enlighten route. THE KIND creative staff (in short, everybody on the team) is most credible when promising all the latest news and cultural developmentsdelivered daily in a tone that is not snarky or dumb, that is rich in surprise and delight, that is informed and motivated by curiosity and a sincere desire to share cool shit with people who appreciate cool shit.
If forced to pledge, we commit to keeping the burgeoning cannabis nation abreast of the surges in entertainment, products, tech, the whole business hustle, whatever that turns out to be, and as those surges happen.
Some days, don’t be surprised when THE KIND does exactly that, providing unique perspectives and incisive viewpoints peppered with hilarious video, trip-worthy photo galleries, enchanting personalities, and deep reporting on under-covered narratives.
Other days, the site may circle out for wider views. So relax, drift along with the flow. We’re going your way.