Skyff

Skyyf is a premium cannabis brand launched in South Africa by an NGO focused initially on cannabis advocacy. With cannabis now decriminalized for personal and private use in South Africa, the team set out to create more than just a product line. Their ambition was to build a wellness club and cultural space where cannabis could be experienced not only recreationally but socially and creatively.

We began with the name—Skyyf—a South African slang word meaning “a smoke” or “to spark up,” commonly referring to a cigarette or joint and the act of smoking it. The name captured the ritual, the mood, and the cultural tone we were aiming for.

Building on that, we developed a complete brand identity rooted in character and play. At the heart of Skyyf are three original illustrated personas: Sunny–radiant and social, reflecting warmth; Dagga–wild and expressive, representing spontaneity; also a local slang word for cannabis); Kibbi–calm and grounded, symbolizing authenticity and named after one of the brand’s key stakeholders.

Each name features a doubled letter, just like Skyyf, creating a visual and phonetic rhythm that ties the identity together. These characters represent not just different product effects (energizing, relaxing, balancing) but also emotional states and lifestyle choices. They live across the system—from packaging and merchandise to loyalty cards, lighter designs, and in-store graphics.

Skyyf is more than a cannabis brand—it’s a cultural catalyst. In a country where cannabis is just beginning to find mainstream acceptance, Skyyf helps shape a new kind of narrative: one that celebrates cannabis not only as a product but as a ritual, a lifestyle, and a creative force.

By focusing on character, storytelling, and sensory design, we helped Skyyf carve out a new space between wellness, culture, and community. It doesn’t feel corporate. It doesn’t feel medicinal. It feels alive, joyful, and local.