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It is premature to predict that a commercial for cannabis will show up in the Super Bowl—at least in the near future—but marketers in the fast-growing industry should be prepping now for a more open advertising landscape.
The advice, from the Cannabis Media Council, comes as the trade group launches its first set of ad rules for marketers in the space. Full Spectrum: Guidelines for Responsible Use, which will be updated annually, notes that the weed industry “has to commit to a bit of adulting” to convince mainstream media outlets to accept its paid ads.
Among its seven core pillars, the association recommends that ad campaigns be fact-based, educational and legally compliant, targeted only at consumers of legal age. Marketing should be diverse in its artwork and imagery, and environmentally sensitive in its production, per the rules.
“The cannabis industry is rapidly growing as legalization and curiosity peak, so we must evolve to support this influx of new users,” according to Rachel Boykins, CMC founding board member and the leader of the effort. “Similar to the alcohol and pharmaceutical industries, it’s important that we establish best practices as advertisers that are responsible and ethical in order for mainstream media to see cannabis as a safe space.”
Part of the document’s mission, and the CMC aim overall, is to “counter misinformation and deprogram the war on plants,” said the report.
Full Spectrum includes case studies of impactful weed campaigns from brands such as Pax, Cann, Betty’s Eddies and House of Puff. The CMC uses its own launch campaign from early this year as an example of how to land paid ads in a largely hostile environment, given that cannabis is still federally illegal.
The CMC’s ongoing campaign, “I’m High Right Now” from creative agency of record Sister Merci, was recently the first weed ad to ever appear in Vanity Fair magazine. The placement was part of CMC’s partnership with Hearst Media and 46 Mile.
Green rush
The 83-page Full Spectrum report, launching as 74% of Americans have access to some form of legal weed, includes checklists for both marketers and publishers. It stresses the importance of advertising for the health of the cannabis industry, which is still cut off from traditional avenues like national TV, radio and print.
