What the Cannabis Industry Can Learn From Nike

In cannabis, community is the foundation of a strong and preferred brand. The most successful companies in the space have built their reputations through connection, from launch parties and pop-up experiences to grassroots marketing and word-of-mouth.

Digitally, however, that sense of connection is fragmented. Brands maintain email lists, social media channels, and text marketing programs, but each comes with limitations. Emails are easy to ignore. SMS campaigns can be flagged or throttled. Social media accounts risk being taken down or shadowbanned. Even live events,  while powerful, often fail to convert one-time interactions into long-term digital relationships.

Most cannabis brands have built pieces of the puzzle but still lack a central, owned space where their community can live and grow. Other industries have already solved this challenge with community-centric brand apps –  and few have done it better than Nike.

How Nike Built an Ecosystem Around Community

Nike has created one of the most effective examples of how a brand can use digital experiences to build an ongoing relationship with its customers.

The Nike App is more than an online storefront. While users can shop for shoes and apparel, the app also serves as a storytelling and community platform.  Fans can explore upcoming product drops, discover neighborhood events, and access interviews, features, and tips directly from Nike’s designers and athletes.  It acts as a digital hub where content, culture, and commerce intersect.

Nike’s community extends even further through the Nike Run Club (NRC) and Nike Training Club (NTC) apps, getting people deeper into their specific niche.

• Nike Run Club connects millions of runners worldwide through guided runs, goal tracking, and a shared sense of achievement.
• Nike Training Club offers free workouts, coaching, and motivational tools that keep users engaged and connected to the brand’s broader mission.

Each of these apps further strengthens Nike’s role in people’s daily lives. They build loyalty not through constant selling, but through shared  experiences. And because of that fans return because the brand gives them value, community, and identity.

Why Community Apps Works 

In the example above, Nike didn’t just sell products or shared tips, their apps actually  built belonging. Every challenge, club, and social feature in the Nike ecosystem taps into deep human psychology. The same principles apply to cannabis brands building their own digital communities today.

1. We Crave Belonging

Humans define themselves by the groups they belong to. When people feel aligned with a brand’s values and culture, it becomes part of who they are. A  community app reinforces that identity, turning “I like this brand” into “I’m part of this brand.”

2. We’re Addicted to Dopamine

Each like, badge  or shout-out triggers a micro-reward in the brain. Thoughtful community apps use this to celebrate meaningful participation like educating others, attending events, or joining drops rather than chasing empty engagement or just pure sale alone.

3. We’re Wired for Tribe 

Humans have always sought belonging in small, trusted groups. A digital community recreates that ancient need for connection, making members feel safe, understood, and part of something bigger.

What Cannabis Brands Can Learn

Cannabis brands already do the work of building community. They host events, run Discord servers, send texts or emails about new drops, share stories on Instagram, and some run loyalty programs. But these efforts often happen in isolation, spread across multiple platforms that don’t communicate with each other.

A branded community-centric app brings everything together into one cohesive experience. It gives your community a home that you control. Where your audience can engage, learn, and participate without the risk of losing access due to platform restrictions.

Imagine an app where your fans can:

• Find nearby stores that carry your products (and sell D2C when infrastructure allows)
• Join exclusive waitlists or RSVP for events
• Access behind-the-scenes content and product education
• Bring your Discord community directly into the app and connect them to your loyalty program
• Earn and redeem gift card rewards for engagement, referrals, or participation
• Sell branded merchandise by connecting your Shopify store to your app
• Link to your social channels and community spaces while keeping the experience under your brand umbrella
• Crowd source through customer surveys, feedback mechanisms
• Access customer data like demographics, preferences and their app activity.

Rather than competing with dispensaries, your app complements your retail footprint. It connects fans’ online interactions with their real-world behavior and keeps them close to your story between purchases.

Your Brand, Your App, Your Community powered by Digital Awesome

At Digital Awesome, we build customizable cannabis brand apps that bring your vision to life. Our apps integrate seamlessly with tools like Birchmount, Shopify, Discord, and other enterprise systems.

Every app starts with your brand, your look, your goals, and your voice - a true digital home base that’s fully branded, built to scale, and designed to make your marketing team’s life easier.

Behind the scenes, it gives you what most cannabis brands struggle to capture: customer data, unified marketing channels, and automation that eliminates manual work. Instead of juggling tools or waiting on reports, your team can focus on what actually drives growth -- creating amazing experiences for your fans.

It’s a community-first platform that connects every touchpoint of your brand. Tell your story, track engagement, and build loyalty all in one place.

Learn about Cannabis Brand Apps

Own your audience and build your movement. A Cannabis Brand App puts your audience, data, and growth back in your hands. Stop renting space on social platforms and start owning your customer relationships. 

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