The LCBO has unveiled the brand identity for the agency that will sell recreational cannabis in Ontario: the Ontario Cannabis Store.

According to a post on the LCBO’s public information website, the name and branding were designed “to convey a safe, simple and approachable environment for consumers, and agency employees, in a clear and easily understood manner.”

In a follow-up statement, the LCBO said the main factors guiding the development of the branding and logo were “the government priorities of restricting access to youth, protecting public health and addressing the illegal market.”

The statement also said that the Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation was working in a unique position: having to develop a recognizable, province-wide brand in a new regulatory environment where many of the marketing rules have not yet been set.

Leo Burnett handled the overall brand strategy and branding guidelines, developing the logo and brand name for Ontario Cannabis Store.  Its work also included market research, developing a suite of brand assets and guidelines for marketing and future use of the brand properties.

The LCBO said it expected the cost of all brand and marketing from Leo Burnett to be roughly $650,000. For a comparison on the cost, the LCBO offered its 2014 rebrand (also handled by Leo Burnett and aimed to simplify its logo to make it feel less institutional), for which it paid $500,000.

The unveiling of the branding also reiterated the LCBO’s announcement from last month that it would be working with Shopify, which will provide a cloud-based retail system that will serve both online and in-store sales.