Wick & Mortar

What Wick & Mortar does

Wick & Mortar is a privately held, full-service creative branding and marketing agency focused on the cannabis and broader plant-medicine industry. Founded in 2009 by Jared Mirsky (originally as Online Marijuana Design) and headquartered in Los Angeles, the firm provides end-to-end services spanning brand strategy, visual identity, copywriting, packaging design, packaging production, web design, photography, video production, advertising, and one-on-one consulting with the CEO/founder. It claims to be the oldest continuously operating cannabis-focused branding agency in the United States and has served an enterprise client base that spans producers/processors (Goldkine, Harmony Farms, ZoZ, Dose, Narvona), retailers (Olswell, Ash + Ember), cannabis ancillaries (Hitoki, Cultivera, PayQwick), CBD/hemp brands (Karibo), and a cannabis museum (Cannabition).

The company's core technology is its creative-services craft and proprietary cannabis-branding methodology rather than software. Its distribution relies on direct enterprise sales via project inquiry forms and founder-led consultations, supplemented by a branded course sold through Gumroad ($149), an in-house podcast (Rebranding Cannabis), and a formal brand partner program with PR, data, hardware, and compliance partners. There are no publicly disclosed financial metrics, no funding rounds, no subsidiaries, and no parent company; ownership appears concentrated with founder Jared Mirsky and COO/co-founder James Zachodni (formerly of Dope Media).

Revenue mechanics consist primarily of project-based professional services fees quoted per engagement, a low-margin one-time course license, and referral/affiliate economics from the brand partner network. The firm has expanded geographically across at least five U.S. states (CA, WA, MI, CO, MD), diversified into adjacent verticals (CBD, cannabis software, payments, hardware), and in 2024 moved into owned-product territory via the Rappa Fire tobacco blunt cones joint venture. Most recently it has begun bundling AI-driven brand-visibility services through a partnership with Nearfront.

Name

Wick & Mortar

Legal name

Wick & Mortar

Website

https://wickandmortar.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wick & Mortar is a full-service creative branding and marketing agency serving cannabis producers, retailers, ancillaries, and CBD brands with strategy, identity, packaging, web, photo, video, and advertising services; founded 2009 and headquartered in Los Angeles.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Professional Services: Full-service agency fees for branding, strategy, copywriting, packaging design, packaging production, website design, photography, videography, and advertising services for cannabis brands. Billed via project-based quotes and consultations.
2. Educational Courses: Sale of cannabis branding courses through Gumroad platform. Course includes 52-page strategy workbook, 6-chapter video course, branding process guide, creative brief document, and 30-minute consultation.
3. Brand Partnerships: Strategic partnerships and collaborations with complementary cannabis industry companies including PR firms, genetic testing, data aggregators, hardware manufacturers, and compliance testing companies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Wick & Mortar is a full-service creative branding and marketing agency focused on the cannabis industry, providing end-to-end services including brand strategy, visual identity design, packaging design, packaging production, web design, photography, videography, advertising, and one-on-one consulting. The agency also sells a self-paced cannabis branding educational course through Gumroad and produces the 'Rebranding Cannabis' podcast.

Product overview

Wick & Mortar is a full-service creative branding and marketing agency specializing in the cannabis and plant medicine industries. The company operates as a single integrated offering rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture, providing end-to-end branding services including strategy, branding, package design, packaging production, web design, photography, video production, advertising, and consulting. The portfolio is supplemented by educational products (the Branding Process Course), a podcast (Rebranding Cannabis), and free resource guides. The agency has been operating since 2009 and is recognized as the oldest cannabis-focused branding agency in the industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Branding Comprehensive branding services including naming, logo design, and stationery design for cannabis brands seeking to establish or refresh their market identity.
• Strategy Brand strategy services including brand story development, mission statements, brand positioning, consumer targeting, tone of voice creation, and competitive landscape analysis.
• Package Design Product packaging design services including moodboard creation, concepting, design mockups, and dieline creation for cannabis product lines.
• Packaging Production End-to-end packaging production services including vendor management, print techniques, proofing, color matching, and troubleshooting to bring packaging designs to market.
• Web Design Website design and development services including concepting, mockups, development, and client walkthroughs for desktop and mobile experiences aligned with brand identity.
• Photography Professional photography services including product, lifestyle, and environmental photography for cannabis brands.
• Video Production Video production services including strategy development, filming with professional videographers, and post-production editing for cannabis brand content.
• Advertising Cannabis-focused advertising services including print advertising, audience growth strategies, and campaign development across multiple marketing channels.
• Consulting One-on-one consulting sessions with CEO/Founder Jared Mirsky providing tailored creative insight on cannabis marketing and branding strategies.
• Branding Process Course Award-winning cannabis and CPG branding course featuring a 52-page strategy workbook, 6-chapter video course, branding process guide, creative brief document, and 30-minute consultation. Priced at $149.

Quantifiable outcome

• Increased sales appointments booked for Cultivera
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Rappa FireflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2024Joint venture partnership to create Rappa Fire brand of tobacco blunt cones and tobacco cones. Wick & Mortar collaborated with two other visionary partners combining cannabis, tobacco, and branding expertise. Strategic celebrity partnerships amplify reach in tobacco and cannabis markets.
• NearfrontcoreTechnology or IntegrationStrategic partnership with Nearfront for AI-powered visibility systems. Wick & Mortar utilizes Nearfront's intelligent systems to ensure clients' brands not only look world-class but stay visible where it matters most in digital search.
• HeadsetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeadset co-founders featured in Wick & Mortar marketing materials. Wick & Mortar helped execute marketing initiative for Headset's company with flawless results for an industry event.
• Cannabis PR and Media FirmscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-standing relationships with leading public relations and media firms in the cannabis industry for integrated marketing campaigns.
• Genetic Testing CompaniesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnerships with cutting edge genetic testing companies serving the cannabis industry.
• Hardware ManufacturersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborations with hardware manufacturers in the cannabis ancillary space.
• Cannabis Now ConnectcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Cannabis Now Connect for VIP sponsorship and event presence at MJBizCon. Includes dedicated activation space, gift bag inclusion, full page ad placement, and social media mentions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Leafly: Cannabis technology and media platform serving consumers and retailers nationwide. Comparable as a broader cannabis industry incumbent whose brand Wick & Mortar's Creative Director previously helped build.
• High Times: Long-standing cannabis culture and media brand that also runs events, awards, and brand services. Comparable as a broader cannabis industry incumbent with overlapping reach; Wick & Mortar's COO previously led Dope Magazine into the High Times acquisition.

Direct peers

• The Bluntness: Cannabis media and marketing platform producing news, branded content, and marketing services for cannabis businesses. Comparable as a cannabis-focused content and marketing services provider with overlapping client base.
• Cannabis Creative Group: Creative agency focused on cannabis brand marketing, advertising, and design. Directly comparable to Wick & Mortar as a cannabis-specialist creative agency serving producers, processors, and ancillary brands.
• Green Rush Creative: Branding and marketing agency purpose-built for the cannabis industry. Comparable as a cannabis-specialist creative agency offering brand strategy, packaging, and marketing services to operators.
• Trail Blaze Marketing: Cannabis marketing agency offering branding, digital marketing, and SEO services to dispensaries and cannabis brands. Comparable as a vertically focused marketing partner serving the same cannabis operator customer base.
• Higher Elevation Marketing: Digital marketing agency specializing in cannabis and hemp brands. Directly comparable to Wick & Mortar as a vertically specialized agency targeting cannabis operators with branding, web, and marketing services.

Others

• MJBizDaily: Leading cannabis industry business news and events company. Comparable as an adjacent ecosystem participant operating in cannabis media and events rather than direct agency services, but engaging the same operator audience.
• Dope Media: Cannabis culture magazine and media brand. Comparable as an adjacent cannabis media company and ecosystem participant; Wick & Mortar's COO co-founded Dope Magazine, which was acquired by High Times in 2018.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wickandmortar
• Facebookfacebook.com/wickandmortar
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wickandmortar

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wick & Mortar