Connected Cannabis Co. Appoints Craig Lyon as Vice President, Head of Marketing

Former NIKE, Inc. Senior Brand Director represents Connected's first investment in a comprehensive marketing strategy

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Mar 16, 2021, 13:18 ET

SACRAMENTO, Calif., March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Connected Cannabis Co. ("Connected"), a premier cannabis cultivator, retailer and market leader in California, today announced the appointment of Craig Lyon as the company's first Vice President, Head of Marketing. In this role, he will be tasked with growing the marketing engine that will further establish Connected as the provider of the best cannabis products in the world.

Prior to joining Connected, Craig Lyon spent a decade at Nike driving brand affinity, consumer demand and growth through strategic storytelling and game-changing brand initiatives. Most recently, he sat on Nike's North America Brand Leadership team as a Senior Brand Director leading the Central U.S. and Canadian marketplace, driving transformational change by redesigning the territory organization to better serve the distinct consumers in each market. Lyon's previous roles at Nike were centered around their Global Basketball marketing initiatives. During this time, he served in roles of increasing rank including Senior Brand Director, Brand Manager and Community Specialist.

"Over the last decade, Connected has achieved high awareness, consumer loyalty and a premium reputation based on the quality of our product and with minimal investment in marketing," said Sam Ghods, CEO of Connected. "Now it's time to streamline our messaging and build a marketing machine that cements our status as the go-to brand for designer weed. Craig's proven track record in brand-building makes him the ideal candidate to develop and execute strategies that reflect our history and ethos and resonate with our established followers, as well as new audiences."

"Connected has proven themselves a leader in the cannabis industry rather than a follower," said Lyon. "It's remarkable that Connected has garnered such a stellar reputation and following without spending more than 1% of their revenue on marketing; they've always been laser-focused on the product. For the first time, Connected is dedicating resources to bolster this already rock-solid foundation, and now, the sky's the limit. I look forward to building out our department and elevating our brand presence to the level the product merits."

Established in 2009, Connected's focus on breeding new and innovative genetics has earned the company a cult-like following among fans. With this following Connected has grown to become the largest branded-flower company in California - despite a lack of advertising. The brand's reputation has developed organically through word-of-mouth, with some of their most popular strains like Biscotti being name-dropped in hip-hop songs by 21 Savage, YG and Migos.

Connected recently won First Place in the High Times Cannabis Cup SoCal: People's Choice Edition for both best indica and sativa flower.

About Connected Cannabis Co.
Connected Cannabis Co. has been breeding, growing and selling the best cannabis in the world since 2009. Started with the mission of providing high-quality products paired with excellent customer service, Connected started as Fruit Ridge Health and Wellness in Sacramento. Co-founded by Caleb Counts, a master grower, the company has created a cult-like following for its celebrated strains, and its indoor flower commands the highest wholesale price in any major legal market. Connected acquired the popular brand Alien Labs in 2017, popular for their extraterrestrial-covered jars and Wedding Cake strain. Today, Connected Cannabis maintains a portfolio of proprietary top-shelf strains cultivated in state-of-the-art grow facilities in both California and Arizona and operates three stores. For more information, please visit us at www.connectedcannabisco.com.

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Connected Cannabis Co.