SCOTT SLAGSVOL
Lantern
Brand + UX Design
Building the experience + brand for responsible cannabis consumption on the East Coast.
Becoming an ethical cannabis delivery company.
JUMP TO A SECTION
MY RESPONSIBILITIES
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Brand Ideation
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Qualitative Research
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Insights / Synthesis
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Service Ideation
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Brand Moodboards
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User Testing
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Final UI Design
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Final Brand Design
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MVP / Pilot Users
From our users who are overwhelmed with choice but want to explore cannabis with confidence to an industry that’s for far too long been living in the shadows, we’re here to bring transparency, equity, and access to cannabis.
Alcohol-Delivery front-runners, Drizly were looking to launch a cannabis-delivery service. My team and I worked closely with Drizly's finest to create a new company from the ground up.
“We are here to be the leading light in the cannabis industry.”
– Lantern Corporate Mission
Research
RESEARCH OVERVIEW
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90-Minute, In-context Core User interviews
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8 Dispensary Interviews
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2 Major Cities (Boston & Los Angeles)
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10 Delivery services audited
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18 Users Interviewed
RESEARCH GOALS
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Which brand expression is most appropriate for this service?
- What are the critical digital and physical touchpoints of this service?
- What is our personalization strategy?
“Chronic illness takes possibility away from you...Cannabis helps me exist” -Cara
“My doctor gave me the note for my medical marijuana license but said that she can’t help me on this journey because she doesn’t know how to.” -Layla
“The agency and freedom you regain with delivery is essential, especially when I can’t leave my bed.” -Cara
“The worst part about the delivery is the danger perception from only accepting cash.” -Danielle, Delivery Driver
Key Learnings
& Insights
USER INSIGHTS
Legalization & Choice Overload
Regardless of their experience level, people entering the legal market stumble to find what works best for them because they suddenly have more options than ever.
Process & The Unknown
Consistent cannabis users struggle to optimize their cannabis experience because our knowledge of it is both incomplete and evolving.
Exploration & Hesitancy
Nervous and price-sensitive users hesitate to explore new products because it could break their bank or be downright dangerous.
Alternatives & Control
For medical users, cannabis isn’t just a natural alternative, but one that makes them feel in control.
Pleasure & Self-Care
Even self-described recreational users use cannabis as a tool to alleviate physical and psychological pain.
Stigma & Discretion
Users in destigmatized environments still keep their consumption of cannabis private because they’re afraid of lingering stigma.
Darkness & Social Good
The dark history of cannabis makes socially conscious business more appealing — especially for disenfranchised communities.
DELIVERY INSIGHTS
More than a Product
When people buy cannabis, they’re buying fun and self-care. We’re not just delivering products — we’re delivering experiences and feelings.
User Optionality
People want to feel like they’re in control of their cannabis experience and will go the extra mile for the product and/or service that they want.
Ever-changing Regulations
As laws shift from extreme punishment to full legalization, businesses must adapt on the fly to survive.
Delivery Operations
While dispensaries want delivery, they are hesitant to take on another business cost and liability.
MARKET INSIGHTS
Stigma & Legalization
Cannabis regulators often do not have enough experience with cannabis to properly regulate it, thus slowing down the market while billboards plaster the city.
Exclusion & Opportunism
People disenfranchised by the war on drugs do not only resent the cannabis industry, but are systematically excluded from it.
Legitimacy & Legacy
In an industry rife with stigma and doubt, legal market consumers react well to signs of legitimacy. However, existing black market products and services are still a valuable option to users.
Maturation & Differentiation
As cannabis becomes a commodity in the open market, companies are shifting towards specialization of brands, products, and value-added services to rise above the noise.
Design Deliverables
BRAND DESIGN
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4 Rounds of moodboard development
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Focused on the delivery moment (bag, car, uniform, etc.)
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User tested in two markets (Boston & LA)
UX DESIGN
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Focused on pilot experience
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Tested multiple personalization strategies
- Clickable prototypes brought into the field for testing.