C15 Solutions: Building B2B Authority Through Thought Leadership and PR
The Challenge
C15 Solutions provides technology, content, training and quality management solutions to cannabis operators. The challenge was translating a specialized B2B offering into a story that would resonate with cannabis industry media, while building greater awareness of C15 and establishing its leadership as credible industry experts.
Marigold developed a six-month PR and content program combining media relations, thought leadership, strategic announcements and owned content to increase C15's visibility and reinforce a key business message: C15 helps cannabis operators reduce the cost of quality.
The Strategy
Rather than relying on company announcements alone, Marigold built the campaign around expertise and education.
The strategy included proactive media pitching, press releases, contributed thought leadership, podcast and interview opportunities, industry event visibility and a six-part content program. Marigold also worked to establish C15 spokesperson Sean Samuel as a reliable industry voice who could speak beyond the company's products to the larger operational challenges facing cannabis businesses.
Turning Expertise Into Earned Media
Over the project, C15 secured six pieces of earned media coverage, supported by five additional social media and e-news mentions. Coverage included Benzinga Cannabis, Benzinga Cannabis Insider, Analytical Cannabis, Authority Magazine, Grow Opportunity and ADCANN.
The campaign intentionally positioned Sean Samuel as the expert behind the brand. By the end of the project, Sean was featured or quoted in 100% of C15's earned media coverage, exceeding the original 75% target.
That visibility included a feature in Authority Magazine with a reported reach of 11.7 million, an Analytical Cannabis thought-leadership article and multiple Benzinga opportunities.
Amplifying Company Growth
Marigold also used strategic company news to demonstrate C15's momentum.
A release focused on C15's anticipated growth in the European cannabis market generated 627 full-text placements, including Benzinga, Yahoo Finance, MarketWatch, The Canadian Business Journal and Grow Opportunity. GlobeNewswire reported 5,573 views, 137 link clicks and an average CTR of 6.78%. Marigold additionally pitched the announcement directly to more than 80 media contacts.
A second announcement highlighted C15's partnership with AlphaRoot, reinforcing the company's growth and its role in bringing technology, risk management and insurance solutions to cannabis operators.
Building an Owned Thought Leadership Engine
Earned media was supported by a six-part blog strategy designed to build C15's authority around quality management, compliance, technology and sustainable cannabis operations.
Marigold developed content covering vendor selection, eQMS technology, barriers to QMS adoption, GMP compliance, sustainable growth and electronic batch records.
Importantly, 100% of the six blogs incorporated C15's key message around reducing the cost of quality and included a direct path back to the C15 website.
This created an integrated approach: PR generated third-party credibility while owned content gave C15 a growing library of expertise it could continue to use across sales, search and marketing.
Creating Industry Visibility Beyond Media
The campaign extended beyond traditional media relations.
C15 participated in Marigold's B2B Marketing & PR for Cannabis Brands event, which generated 137 RSVPs, 715 Eventbrite page views and a peak attendance of 70. Promotion surrounding the event also drove 74 clicks to the C15 website through Marigold newsletters and the supporting press release.
Marigold also supported C15 around major industry events, including securing an interview opportunity around Benzinga's Cannabis Capital Conference and developing pre-, onsite and post-conference PR recommendations.
The Results
6 pieces of earned media coverage
5 additional social/e-news media mentions
100% of earned coverage featured or quoted C15 spokesperson Sean Samuel
66% of earned coverage communicated C15's key "reduce the cost of quality" message
6 strategic thought-leadership blogs produced
100% of owned content incorporated the key business message and website
627 full-text placements from C15's European growth announcement
5,573 GlobeNewswire views + 137 link clicks
Regular outreach to 30–50 targeted media contacts
Coverage spanning Benzinga, Analytical Cannabis, Authority Magazine, Grow Opportunity and ADCANN
The Takeaway
Complex B2B cannabis companies don't need to simplify their expertise—they need to make that expertise valuable to the right audience.
By combining earned media, strategic announcements and educational content, Marigold helped C15 move beyond product promotion and establish its leadership as a credible voice on quality, technology and cannabis operations.
The campaign met each of its core communications objectives while creating something with longer-term value: a stronger digital footprint, established media relationships and a recognizable industry expert positioned at the centre of the brand.