The Future of Cannabis Marketing Event Speaker Spotlight: Derek Espinoza
On January 19 of 2021, the Cannabis Marketing Association will be putting on the Future of Cannabis Marketing event. This forward-thinking, half-day virtual Ted-style event will discuss the cannabis future we want cannabis marcom leaders need to do to shape this future.
Derek Espinoza is one of the speakers for the event. Learn about his background and what he will be talking about:
What topic will you be speaking about at the future of cannabis marketing event?
I will be talking about the power marketing has to shape cultural narratives. This will be done by first taking a quick look backward in time to the 1930’s when the publics perception of cannabis was first shaped. With that foundation, the rest of the talk will be centered around how marketers can reimagine and reshape how our culture views cannabis in the future.
Why is what you are discussing at the event interesting and important?
What I will be discussing is both interesting and important because it deals with how cannabis will fit into our culture in the future and the role marketers will play. There are small windows in time where industries are created, and with them, cultural narratives are reshaped. Today’s marketers in the cannabis industry must take on that responsibility and reshape the publics’ opinion of cannabis while also driving their organizations forward. With enough foresight and imagination, both efforts can be simultaneously achieved.
What is your background in the cannabis marketing industry?
Derek Espinoza is the Creative Director for Baked Bros, where he leads the brand’s creative projects, marketing strategy, and education efforts. He specializes in cannabis education as well as the synergy between brands and the psychology of their target audience. Derek is also a co-founder of the Arizona State University organization The Ecstasis Club, which is devoted to the academic exploration of altered states of consciousness. He writes and presents on topics within the science of cannabis, marketing, human wellbeing, and workplace culture. BakedBros.com
What do you bring to the cannabis marketing industry that sets you apart?
I feel my background is what sets me apart in the cannabis marketing industry. While a pre-med student pursuing a degree in psychology, I worked full time as a budtender, which allowed me to gain valuable insight into the lives and minds of cannabis consumers. From there, I worked as an event coordinator with a major focus on experiential marketing, which exposed me to an even wider array of consumers. Over the last two years, I was worked as both a Director of Education and Creative Director, where I have been finding ways to balance cannabis marketing and education. I feel this background and experience give me a perspective that is unique and valuable for the industry.
Why do you think the future of cannabis marketing is important and why should people be educated about it?
This question and its answer are really the thesis of my talk. The work we do as marketers today has the ability change the way people around the world view, think, and feel about cannabis, which is a massive responsibility. Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it, and if you look at the history of cannabis, it has had plenty of ups and downs. People need to be educated on this because our decisions today will impact future generations of cannabis consumers.
Buy your ticket to hear Derek Espinoza speak at the Future of Cannabis Marketing event here! Espinoza will also be included in the VIP only speakers roundtable- don’t miss it!
