Sula is a radically new form of breathable cannabis that offers a better and safer way to experience cannabis. Developed by Dispersa Labs, Sula delivers a precise dosage with each breath, dispensed from a capsule-based device that is smoke-free, fast-acting, discreet and comfortable to use. Pentagram has developed a brand identity framework for Sula that highlights its therapeutic properties and ease of use. The project encompasses everything from naming, brand positioning and messaging, to packaging design, brand collateral and digital design, to art direction of product photography and illustration.
Pentagram worked closely with Dispersa Labs co-founders Andreas Boeckl and David Cookson on the project. Sula applies rigorous pharmaceutical science and technology to cannabis, encapsulating extracts in an engineered, patent-pending dry powder of highly dispersible, micron-sized particles. Developed for consistent performance, Sula ensures that each use will have the same effect and without the health and safety worries related to vaping or smoking. (Sula does not contain oils and other ingredients that are often not mentioned by manufacturers of vape and smoke products.)
The challenge for the designers was creating a brand identity that sets Sula apart in the widening array of marijuana-related products. Sula is highly scientific and medically based, and the framework makes it accessible by positioning it as a lifestyle and wellness brand. The identity focuses on its calm, soothing effects on enhanced health, mind and body, and as a restorative experience that users can luxuriate in.
Sula is a cannabis-based hybrid, and while the capsules are vegetable-based, the product is not organic, per se. The branding avoids the typical cannabis tropes—marijuana plants, leaves, the color green. The clean, contemporary look conveys the product’s purity—Sula is smokeless, odorless, and tasteless, and contains no oils and other ingredients that are often not listed by manufacturers of vape and smoke products.
The project started with the name, developed with strategist Saundra Marcel. Sula is designed to appeal to recreational users and especially new users, who may be shy about consuming cannabis for therapeutic relief or pure enjoyment. The name “Sula,” a play on the word “capsule,” is simple, memorable and appeals to the senses.
This friendly spirit extends to the logotype, which is set in Robinson, a contemporary sans serif with a calligraphic construction. The primary typography is set in the geometric sans Styrene B. (Both are designed by Commercial Type.)
Sula comes packaged in a child-proof pouch that includes the inhalation device, a packet of 10 doses and an illustrated instructional guide. The radiant color palette, inspired by the “aura” seen while using cannabis, features blends of warm orange, red and yellow, or cool blues and purples. The guide plays off the straightforward simplicity of a how-to manual, with custom icons by the Pentagram team and illustrations by Manshen Lo. Art direction of the product photography puts the device front and center, highlighting its utility.
