MediaJel Acquires Potnt Agency, Adds Merida Capital's Thomas Harrison As Chairman

Cannabis advertising and marketing company MediaJel made two big announcements this week.

A New Chairman

The company appointed Thomas Harrison, Senior Operating Partner at Merida Capital Partners, as Chairman of the Board.

Before joining the company, Harrison was Chairman Emeritus of Omnicom Group Inc OMC’s Diversified Agency Services for 17 years, helping DAS became one of the world’s largest holding companies for marketing services companies.

“MediaJel is a massively relevant platform,” Harrison told Benzinga. “It is practically tomorrow’s understanding of the cannabis consumer made available today through actionable, targeted analytics that build consumer insights and concretize brand relationships with consumers.”

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While Harrison was appointed Senior Operating Partner at Merida Capital Partners only a month ago, he has actually been in the cannabis industry for over four years. He was previously a board member of Zynerba Pharmaceuticals Inc ZYNE.

“This is an industry that I find compelling, important and one that I believe will alter the trajectory of healthcare and wellness,” he said. “Cannabis is the industry of the future. This will make the Gold Rush, the end of Prohibition or the digital explosion of the 90’s seem diminutive by comparison. This is not a fad...it is a significant trend. And this trend is rooted in relevance, consumer need, and clinical hope.”

Getting Potnt

MediaJel followed up on Harrison’s announcement with news about its acquisition of Potnt Agency, a public relations and marketing agency focused on the cannabis and hemp spaces. As part of the agreement, Potnt CEO Jennifer Price will join MediaJel as Vice President of Communications. Price will be part of MediaJel’s executive leadership team and will report directly to President, Aaron Silverman.

For the past six years, Price has managed public relations campaigns in the cannabis industry. Potnt was consistently named as one of the top cannabis PR companies by industry journals and insiders since inception.

“MediaJel is quickly evolving into a sizable force in the cannabis and emerging markets space,” Price told Benzinga. “I worked diligently to grow Potnt and our brand reputation, aligning with some of the most recognized and trusted brands in the industry. As the marketplace evolves, so does the need for a more robust suite of services. I had been exploring potential partnerships for quite some time. None, however, were as intriguing as the opportunity to align my expertise and the Potnt brand with a company as progressive, strategic, and deeply talented as MediaJel.”

MediaJel President and co-Founder Aaron Silverman told Benzinga Harrison’s addition was based on “strong synergies,” while the Potnt acquisition was driven by Price’s “invaluable professional experience.”

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Photos courtesy of MediaJel.