BC: Why is design important to you? What elements of design are most significant for MONK?
M: Design is an important way that brands communicate values and sensibilities to loyal customers and to the market in general. Poor design can support a number of negative stereotypes and slow growth in any industry, and in this one especially.
MONK invokes a few elements that may be unfamiliar to the average consumer. The combination of plant-powered wellness and CBD being the most prominent. There is a massive amount of thought, care, research, and specialized expertise that goes into developing formulations that feel good and are good for you—but how to communicate this at first glance? That’s where good design comes in. In so far as design is a representation of a brand’s values, and in so far as those values inspire trust, good design is a shortcut to signaling your commitments and starting conversations.
From the outset, it was absolutely critical that our box, bottles, and unboxing experience create and support a visual, sensory, and emotional experience that reflected the complex and dynamic experiences of the beverages themselves. It’s all about ritual. We worked with the uber talented Boon Design to judiciously use space, color, and tactile sensation to create what we refer to as “accessible luxury”. As we expand our brand and create new consumer touchpoints (websites, store signage, etc.) we’ve found that focusing on the primacy of user experience allows us to recognize which elements of design are most relevant to the medium at hand. That insight has been very useful in helping us establish consistency of brand in a variety of environments.
BC: What are the benefits of a CBD cocktail?
M: We all need to relax. It’s a near universal fact of our increasingly busy existence. And some ways are more healthful than others. MONK was made to give people a healthy option for on-demand relaxation that leaves you feeling present and connected to the world around you.
It comes down to our ingredients. The CBD in MONK works with your endocannabinoid system—a network of receptors you have in your body that helps maintain overall wellness—to reduce anxiety, fight inflammation, and support homeostasis. This effect works synergistically with terpenes—aromatic compounds—found in our natural botanicals for an experience that relaxes you and helps take the edge off. To segue back into the language of experience, MONK simply tastes fantastic, makes you feel good, and is made with ingredients that are good for you. No high, no hangover, just pure relaxation. We’ve found that customers use it to replace the nightly glass of wine, for sharing with friends, or for a sense of calm before busy days. Parents especially love it as it allows them to decompress while still being in a wholly responsible state.
BC: Other than at the American Craft Show, where can we find MONK products?
M: Currently, we are focusing on our online, direct-to-customer sales. That said, we have a pair of retailers with whom we have been piloting our storefront program. Broome Street General Store (Silverlake), is our first retail location where you can buy MONK CBD 4oz sampler packs and individual 4oz bottles. At ROW DTLA, one of the city’s most exciting new developments, MONK CBD is available on tap at Paramount Coffee Project (PCP).
The reception in both locations has been fantastic and taking a high-touch, piloting approach has allowed us to systematically weed out any barriers to expansion. We anticipate that we will soon be adding new locations to our roster.
// You can find MONK Drinking Botanicals, as well as Bob Cut, at the American Craft Show at Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, Festival Pavilion, August 3: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. August 4: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. August 5: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.; craftcouncil.org. Photography courtesy of MONK Drinking Botanicals.
