In today’s market, it’s a simple fact that good packaging is a big part of getting people to stop and check out your weed. At a time when more brands are turning to technology to solve the problem of creating eye-catching packaging, one new brand is sticking to that old-time religion: commissioning their favorite artists to create custom work inspired by Cannabis.
Operating under the slogan “Dank that won’t break the bank,” Smacked Studios launched this year with six different strains, all bred, phenohunted and grown at its facilities in Shasta and Redding. Illustrated by Alexis Ziritt, Benjamin Marra and Jim Mahfood, each cultivar is sorted into three distinct sections (Gas, Candy and Citrus), which the brand describes on its website as “bold, recognizable aroma categories, each offering a specific type of high.”
Every artist chosen to create this first round of bags has their own compelling and distinct style, as well as fans who recognize their work from across a room (in truth, it was seeing Mahfood that compelled me to try some in the first place).
Leading the charge behind strain selection and cultivation is Robert “Bear” Masterson, who has cultivated award-winning menus for the company’s other brands, PHASES and A Golden State. This third extension marks the first time the brand has gone with a Mylar bag instead of a jar, but don’t think this means they skimped on anything.
Smacked Studios offers consumers a great price point for the quality of Cannabis. The flower is crystal-coated and fragrant, and the brand offers genetic crosses from newer things like the RS11 x Runtz, as well as some old-school hits like their Chem 91 x Face Off OG. More than just an impressive Mylar bag, Smacked Studios is a new brand that checks all the boxes: good weed with good packaging for a good price.
When we asked how they landed on the name, a rep for Smacked Studios told us the whole thing unfolded while brainstorming during a session. “Smacked, basically slang for being completely stoned, just hit the right chord. It felt fun, real and perfectly tied to how we connect with stoner culture. Adding ‘Studios’ brought it back to our creative roots.”
Smacked Studios told California Leaf they plan to continue working with some of their favorite artists to create custom work for each of their next releases, as well as give people the opportunity to purchase limited-edition prints on their website. To them, this project is about more than just a new brand, just like the bags are more than just decoration for the weed — it’s “where Cannabis and artistry collide.”
smackedstudios.com | @smacked_studios | @aziritt | @benjamin_marra | @jimmahfood
