Case Study: High Seas turns a permitting crisis into a successful cannabis launch with Avaans Media

High Seas drives 408M national reach with Avaans Media

High Seas, a cannabis dispensary in Costa Mesa, faced a crisis when the city denied its business permit without explanation just weeks before its planned grand opening. The vendor, Avaans Media, pivoted from its original event planning role to provide crisis communication services to protect the brand during the dispute.

Avaans Media implemented a crisis communication strategy that included media training, proactive press management, and building stories from city council coverage. Once the permit was secured and High Seas opened, Avaans Media successfully turned the delay into the launch story, achieving a national reach of 408 million people and securing 20 pieces of major media coverage.

High Seas