Brands & Merch Business News

Bob Marley estate seals deal on world’s first global cannabis brand

By | Published on Wednesday 19 November 2014

Marley Natural

Already a high-earning dead celebrity, with official lines in clothing, coffee and ‘earth-friendly headphones’ retailing in his name, Bob Marley’s name and image will now front ‘the world’s first global cannabis brand’, Marley Natural.

The late reggae star’s estate has confirmed a deal with Privateer Holdings, a Seattle-based private equity firm with expertise within the blossoming recreational weed trade, via which it will start shipping various forms of ‘the herb’ (only to areas where it’s legal to sell, of course) towards the end of 2015.

And those forms are, in the main, “heirloom cannabis strains”, plus cannabis and hemp-based lotions and balms, and, at long last, official Bob Marley-branded ‘accessories’ and smoking paraphernalia. One love.

Speaking via The Guardian on his vision for the company in light of the blossoming international trade in legal cannabis (this especially post the passing of pro-weed-legalisation in some American states) Privateer’s Chief Executive Brendan Kennedy has said: “We are in a state of rapid transformation, some 70% of Americans now live in a state where cannabis in some form is legal”, apparently adding that he imagines Marley Natural potentially one day matching a post-prohibition alcohol brand. Or Starbucks.

He adds: “Partnering with us is a way of protecting his image. We’ve learned a lot over the past year about Bob’s views towards cannabis and how he viewed the herb differently. We are honoured to work with the Marley family to bring his voice to a professional, authentic and modern brand that will be a defining first in the cannabis industry”.

Meanwhile, speaking for the Marley family, Marley Sr’s daughter Cedella has said: “My dad viewed the herb as something spiritual that could awaken our well-being, deepen our reflection, connect us to nature and liberate our creativity”, adding that the creation of Marley Natural is an “authentic way to honour his legacy by adding his voice to the conversation about cannabis and helping end the social harms caused by prohibition”.



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