Back in the day, everyone swore their plug had “the best weed.” But the reason you stayed loyal wasn’t just the bag; it was the vibe. The stories, the trust, the way they made you feel like you were in on something exclusive. Fast forward to today’s legal market, and the same rule applies: your flower might be fire, but if nobody’s talking about you, you don’t exist. That’s where your PR strategy steps in as the new plug.
The Product Isn’t Enough Anymore
I’m going to keep it funky. There are thousands of brands out there saying the same thing: “we’ve got the best weed,” “we’re craft,” “we’re premium,” “we’re top-shelf.” That’s cool, but so does everyone else. Customers are drowning in choice. Budtenders have dozens of brands to push every shift. Buyers are hit with emails from vendors every single day.
So what makes someone choose you? It’s not just the THC percentage or even the terp profile. It’s the story you tell, and how consistent you are about telling it. PR is the vehicle that takes your brand’s narrative and plugs it into culture, media, and real-life conversations.
In a saturated market (whether it’s a legacy, grey, or legal market), the best story moves faster than the best flower.
Lessons From the Old-School Plug
Back in the day, every scene had that one plug who built their rep a little differently. Most plugs would skim a bit off the top. You’d pay for two grams and end up with 1.97 on the scale. Nobody loved it, but that was the game.
Then, there was the rare one who flipped the script. If you grabbed a dub, you didn’t just get two grams. You’d get 2.1, 2.2, sometimes even 2.3 if they were having a good day. They made sure you always felt taken care of. People told them they were leaving money on the table, but they knew better. That consistency and generosity turned into loyalty. Customers never had to weigh their bags, never had to second-guess. And the money came back twofold.
That’s the same principle at play with PR. You can try to cut corners, shave off effort, copy someone else’s playbook, run hype with no substance, but people catch on quick. The real win comes from over-delivering. When your brand provides an experience that’s more than the bare minimum, you build trust, loyalty, and a rep that pays back way more in the long run.
Why PR is the New Plug
When I say PR is the new plug, here’s what I really mean:
- Access. The plug was your connection. They brought you into something you couldn’t get on your own. PR does the same thing. It connects your brand to the outlets, podcasts, events, and audiences that you can’t just buy your way into.
- Trust. You trusted your plug because they never let you down. Good PR builds that same trust. A feature in a respected magazine, a spotlight on a panel, or a profile in your local paper hits different than some shady-looking Instagram ad. It tells people: this brand is legit.
- Reputation. Plugs lived and died by it. If word got around they were shorting bags, they were done. Same with brands. If the word on the street (or in the press) is that you’re mid, shady, or forgettable, you’ll never break through.
How to Use PR Like the Plug
Let’s take this from theory to something we can all act on. Here are three rules to treat PR like the new plug:
- Show Love, Don’t Short the Bag. Every time you tell your story, give people a little extra. Don’t just drop THC numbers, share the “why” behind your brand. Don’t just announce a product; connect it to culture, community, or a cause. Like the plug who gave 2.2 instead of 1.97, brands that over-deliver stick in people’s minds.
- Consistency Over Clout. The plug who only answered once in a while? Nobody stuck with them. Same with PR. You can’t just do one press release and think you’re good. You have to keep showing up with content, stories, and news that build momentum.
- Build Relationships, Not Just Transactions. The best plugs weren’t just about the bag; they were about the bond. PR works the same way. I’ve said this before, earning media coverage isn’t like a vending machine where you drop a quarter and get coverage. It’s about building trust, respect, and a long-term connection with the storytellers who can amplify you.
The legal market is noisy. Everyone’s shouting, “we’ve got the best weed.” But if the OG plug from back in the day taught us anything, it’s that product alone doesn’t build loyalty. Stories do. Trust does. Reputation does.
That’s why I see PR as the new plug. Applied wisely and with intent, it connects you to the people who need to hear your story. It builds the trust that keeps them coming back. And when you play the long game, when you give a little extra instead of taking off the top, the return always comes back twofold.
So ask yourself: when people talk about your brand, are they talking about your THC percentage, or are they sharing your story? Because in this industry, the story always moves weight faster than the product alone.
About the Author
With an extensive background spanning over a decade in publicity, marketing, and sales, Michael Mejer has emerged as a seasoned professional adept at forging connections between leaders in the cannabis sector and invaluable media and press prospects. As the driving force behind Green Lane Communication, Mejer’s specialized PR agency in the cannabis realm, he skillfully orchestrates opportunities that link industry trailblazers with earned media exposure and press engagements.
