Women to Watch: Aubrey Wilde

Working for a Midwest-based multi-state cannabis brand might seem worlds apart from the East Coast fashion industry, but Aubrey Wilde says “marketing is marketing at the end of the day.”

“It’s really all about storytelling, and it’s about finding a way we can connect to our buyers,” says the vice president of marketing for Kosmik Brands. “How are we going to create the story of Kosmik Brands and make it really feel more like a lifestyle brand that connects with our patients and consumers?”

One of the biggest challenges with cannabis — and a difference from most other industries — is the level of compliance required, particularly when operating in multiple states.

“Each market is so different in terms of packaging, in terms of labeling, in terms of advertising,” Wilde says. “In one state you can advertise on billboards, in another state you can’t. Having social media is great, but it’s also really challenging because of the rules and regulations. One day you post something and it’s fine; the next day you post the same thing and you’re flagged.”

Early in her career with Kosmik, a regulatory change forced the company to completely overhaul its packaging in Missouri. To this day, it’s still one of the biggest undertakings she’s had with the company.

“I was like, ‘Wow, we’re just jumping right in,’” she says.

Wilde joined Kosmik in early 2023, then took over as vice president of marketing that fall, working on projects that range from merchandising, packaging, apparel and social media to creating in-store displays and redesigning the company’s website.

Kosmik was founded in Oklahoma in 2019 and has become one of the fastest growing edibles brands in the country. The company now has a footprint in seven states, with more on the horizon, and is exploring new formulations and products to stay at the forefront of the industry.

“When I came on board, the company was really focused on high dosage, which is what we’ve always been known for, but we want to have the ability to go into different markets like micro-dose products and things like that,” Wilde says.

That evolution has led to a refresh for the brand and its social media presence, maintaining its core identity while expanding to reach a larger demographic.

As a creative person herself, Wilde says she enjoys working with a company full of “amazing and creative” people who help push Kosmik and the entire industry forward.

“One thing Kosmic Brands is really good at is knowing their consumer and listening to feedback,” she says. “Being involved in packaging design and the overall creative direction of what a new product line is going to look like is something I really love. I definitely see us expanding into more states in 2025 and hopefully internationally, as well, as legalization continues to expand. I also think the stigma behind the industry is slowly dissipating, which I think is awesome.”