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3 of the Best Cannabis Advertising Campaign Examples

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Have you ever tried to break into a group of friends?

Maybe you moved to a new school when you were young?

Or, how did it go meeting your significant other’s entire family the first time?

Trying to build relationships in a new space can be tricky, and the principle is no different when it comes to businesses trying to enter the cannabis market.

If you’re looking to learn more about cannabis advertising and how companies have succeeded at it in the past, keep reading.

But first, let’s take a quick look at some of the laws and regulations in place that cannabis companies have to consider when thinking about advertising their businesses.


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Cannabis Advertising Challenges

The National Association of Cannabis Businesses published their guidelines for cannabis advertising in November of last year. While not officially law, it is a solid outline of what hurdles cannabis businesses can expect and the avenues available to them in terms of advertising. 

First, cannabis businesses face a series of 'required statements.' Those statements include things such as:

  • Mandated disclosure of any advertised product’s licensee.
  • A statement of age-restriction on all products.
  • Warnings about possible health risks associated with cannabis consumption.

For any statements in advertisements made by cannabis companies about the intended effects of the product, they must also indicate that:

  • Experiences with cannabis products can vary from customer to customer.
  • That any claims made have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

Moreover, there is an extensive list of prohibited content that isn't allowed in cannabis advertising. Those restrictions include advertisements:

  • Promoting overconsumption of cannabis.
  • Suggesting that cannabis is healthy or safe.
  • Promoting recreational consumption in medical-only states.
  • Depicting people inhaling, exhaling, or consuming products (other than topicals).
  • Promoting underage consumption.
  • Degrading any group of people for their identity in any way.
  • Showing cartoon characters, toys, mascots, or animals.
  • Encouraging people to drive after consuming cannabis.
  • Supporting the act of crossing state lines with cannabis products.

In cannabis advertising, the restrictions can seem cumbersome, but there’s more.

Precise records must be kept up-to-date, restrictions on product placements must be followed, merchandising, gifting, and event sponsorship all face red-tape. Working with an experienced cannabis advertising agency can help alleviate some of these challenge, but even then, the changes are never-ending. Even logos and websites are all burdened with legal frameworks that box-in cannabis companies' ability to advertise their businesses with complete creative freedom.


Those are the main hurdles that cannabis companies face when they want to start advertising, but it can be done. Let’s look at some examples of cannabis advertising campaigns that worked and worked well.


3 Cannabis Advertising Examples and Why They Worked

Example 1: WeedMaps


Why it Worked:

With an attentive eye, it’s easy to see why WeedMaps is so successful.

The best thing they do is attack cannabis advertising in targeted ways. A vital example of this can be seen by scrolling through their Twitter page.

They share recent cannabis news from around the globe. The WeedMaps page offers tidbits of scientific insights into how cannabis is helping patients. More importantly, however, they cater to a cannabis-centered audience without pandering to the lowest common denominator.

Much of their advertising relies on the idea that the stigma behind cannabis needs to go, and the image of the industry needs to change.

Their content strategy does this by having a strong presence on Twitter. According to recent Pew Research Center data, 65% of the top Twitter users are women, who, according to data from Headset, make up at least one third of the cannabis market and are consuming cannabis in a more diverse range of ways than ever before.

WeedMaps’ all-encompassing approach to Twitter is just one reason why they are so successful. By sharing relevant news, producing unique content for a broad range of audiences, and focusing on changing the culture, WeedMaps has a cannabis advertising skill that sets the bar in the industry.

You could implement this strategy for your company by doing a few things.

The first would be to take a deep dive into learning everything you can about Twitter marketing.

The next is to find out where your customers are and be there. Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and Youtube are the places where cannabis consumers focus their attention.

Understanding how to use these platforms, and others like them is an integral part of dominating cannabis advertising on social media.


Example 2: MedMen

Medmen ForgetStoner

Why it Worked:

Getting into the cannabis industry is most difficult for companies with public-facing profiles.

WeedMaps is one of those companies by design; MedMen is one by way of trade.

Not only does MedMen provide the products that many customers are looking for, but they've also demonstrated what marketing campaigns in the cannabis space can genuinely achieve.

MedMen’s cannabis advertising campaign, ForgetStoner.com, is a genius blend of iconic branding, masterful inclusion strategies, and industry-changing imagery.

They’ve outlined the lives of a dozen unsuspecting cannabis consumers—including a police officer—that help to change the face of what a typical consumer looks like.  

Their faces, backed by stories, are tempered over the distinctive red always seen with MenMen branding. It's as connective as the content itself, which shows people from all walks of life sharing something in common: they're all cannabis consumers that you could be marketing to.

So, how do you copy this strategy?

First, get your hands on some data.

Your tribe might not fit into the confines of a few simple personas that you come up with based on your own opinions of who your most passionate buyers are. For MedMen's ForgetStoner campaign, they likely used their deep stores of customer data and rich industry insights to identify several key buyer personas, found actual customers who represented these segments, and crafted this campaign as a way to speak directly to each one. 

This strategy allows MedMen to offer a marketing message that contains all of the trust-building factors of a personalized experience, while at the same time casting a broader net to catch individuals who maybe don't exactly identify with any of the listed personas, but feel the resemblance is close enough to build affinity for the brand and it's message.

On top of that, MedMen can now collect even more data on their audience by tracking which personas perform the best in terms of on-site clicks and engagement, which leads to even greater personalization, better messaging, and ultimately, stronger marketing and advertising down the line.

With the right audience information, you can easily pull off something similar. Let us know if you'd like help with this: audience targeting is our specialty. 


Example 3: My Florida Green

Example 3

Why it Worked:

The cannabis industry—at least who've been in the game perhaps even before legalization—has always been suspicious of itself. Industry secrets have been closely guarded for decades, and newcomers to the scene are often viewed with suspicion.

That’s why it’s so important for cannabis companies to meet their customers face-to-face. 

It's hard to point out one company that is doing it well because there are so many who have nailed this part of the strategy, but if you're having trouble meeting customers in person, large-scale events like High Times' Cannabis Cups are an excellent opportunity to set up a booth. Your company could also put on monthly speakers to help people in your area to learn more about cannabis.

The more your brand has face-to-face interactions with customers, the more your brand will grow. That’s why so many companies are already doing this and benefitting so well from it.

Take, for example, My Florida Green, a medical marijuana card company with a network of cannabis doctors in Florida. They frequently put on educational symposiums, comedy nights, and even certification events where the community can quickly get their medical marijuana recommendations.

It’s this sort of customer-first marketing that gets people through their doors and generates so many high reviews online.


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Cannabis Advertising Strategies: Key Takeaways

  • Find where your potential customers are spending their time and placing their focus. Are they hanging out on Instagram? if the answer is yes, you need to incorporate Instagram into your cannabis marketing plan. Are you a B2B cannabis brand? You might want to build a presence on LinkedIn. Understand the platforms they're using and how to navigate their cannabis advertising regulations properly.
  • Use consumer and industry insights to create personalized experiences for your customers. Segment hard and segment often.
  • Meet your customers face-to-face if possible. Consumers want to know the brands they engage with. Set up a boot at a major event, throw your own smaller event, invite speakers to help your local community get educated about cannabis.

Have you been advertising your cannabis company in 2021? Reach out today to let us know what we missed!