Portal founder Chris Znerold served as CMO of Garden Variety, leading the creation of a bold, new cannabis brand from the ground up. Based on insights from rich ethnography, Chris led the design of a cafe-like experience that allowed customers to have a unique third space. The result was a highly differentiated brand built around a quirky, irreverent visual identity created in partnership with Vicarel Studios.

Chris was responsible for assembling and leading a cross-disciplinary creative, marketing, and tech team. Under his leadership, Garden Variety’s “anti-advertising” campaign was recognized by Ad Age, and the brand made waves by being the first-ever Shopify-powered website for cannabis. The 2019 launch was a cultural game-changer, making a lasting impact on the Canadian cannabis market.