Weedmaps Tackles Cannabis Marketing Censorship With Digital Spot Timed For The Super Bowl

WM Technology, Inc. MAPS and Weedmaps debuted a digital commercial spot strategically timed for TV's most-watched event of the year, just ahead of Super Bowl 56, a commercial extravaganza they tried but failed to buy time in. An NBC spokesman said the network does not accept ads “for cannabis or cannabis-related businesses” on any of its platforms.

Weedmaps’ digital ad personifies cannabis as Brock Ollie, a head of broccoli, the veggie emoji commonly used as a visual representation of cannabis in marketing, the 30-second spot provides viewers with insight into a day in the life of Brock Ollie, whose superfood identity is up in smoke as he is repeatedly mistaken for cannabis. The ad is a humorous take on the challenges imposed on the broader industry, which include social media censorship and a lack of consistent advertising regulations, thus restricting cannabis-related spots during nationally televised events, like the big game.

“Despite three quarters of the country having legalized cannabis and the bipartisan enthusiasm we continue to see in support for change at the federal level, the industry continues to face roadblocks that inhibit competition in the legal market and stifle opportunities to educate,” Chris Beals, CEO of Weedmaps said. “There’s an irony in the fact that the biggest night for advertising will feature an array of consumer brands in regulated industries, from beverage alcohol to sports betting, yet legal cannabis retailers, brands and businesses have been boxed out.”

“Advertising restrictions are simply one part of a much larger issue,” Beals continued. “Objective and reliable information about cannabis is integral to the sustained growth of this industry. The deficiency of such information and the current limitations that hinder cannabis education continue to negatively impact other areas, such as medical research, and it’s time we begin to address them.”

Photo: Courtesy of Gina Coleman