Alice Moon
Age: 33
Company: Trailblaze
Title: Publicist and Influencer Campaign Manager
With more than 35,000 combined social media followers, Alice Moon has become one of the top cannabis influencers and PR professionals in the industry, not only creating Twitter’s first and largest “cannabis community” and creating the Moon High cannabis marketing monthly newsletter on LinkedIn, but also helping clients get coverage in traditional media like the New York Times and Forbes, among others.
Moon began her career in cannabis in 2011 as a trimmer and budtender and quickly became passionate about the medical properties of the plant.
“While working at a dispensary, I got to see people from all walks of life choosing cannabis as their medicine and it was a really beautiful thing to witness,” she says.
She also wrote edibles reviews and created a website to help consumers with dietary restrictions find the right products. In 2018, she was diagnosed with Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome and took the leap into PR where she says has “loved every minute of it.”
In her role at Trailblaze, a cannabis PR and marketing agency, Moon has hired more than 100 influencers on behalf of cannabis clients and has developed an eye for finding the right people to get across a brand’s message.
“The ones that have had successful campaigns are the ones that are truly passionate about cannabis,” she says. “Showing their authenticity helps build that like/know/trust factor that is important for influencers to have.”
Q&A
What influenced you to choose this career and this industry?
I joined the cannabis industry in 2011 for fun, but then quickly became very passionate about the plant due to its medicinal benefits. While working at a dispensary, I got to see people from all walks of life choosing cannabis as their medicine and it was a really beautiful thing to witness. I decided to become a publicist because a mentor, Nichole West, saw my true potential in this field and encouraged me to start doing PR for companies. It’s been 5 years since I started in PR and I’ve loved every moment of it!
What do you wish to change or add to the cannabis industry?
I would love to see more research about the benefits and the side effects of cannabis. Our industry is lacking research on both fronts. As someone who suffers from cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, I hope to one day see research that leads to a cure for this condition.
What is the most common misstep you see in cannabis PR and marketing?
I see some companies putting out a press release with the expectation that putting a release on the wire will lead to solid coverage. While a press release on the wire is good for SEO, to get solid coverage, a company needs a publicist to pitch out their story directly to the right writers.
What would you say are the most important aspects that make a cannabis influencer resonate with an audience?
Authenticity. On behalf of our clients, I’ve hired over 100 influencers in the last year and the ones that have had successful campaigns are the ones that are truly passionate about cannabis. They post about it even when they aren’t being paid to do so and they talk about it frequently. Showing their authenticity helps build that like/know/trust/factor that is important for influencers to have.