XM Grow’s Elevate division provides marketing, consulting, and creative services for companies in the budding North American cannabis industry.
Legalization of cannabis, both for medical and adult recreational use, along with growing consumer demand for a smorgasbord of related CBD-infused products, have opened massive avenues of opportunity.
Enter Elevate.
Elevate is a first of its kind consultancy. We’re building on lessons learned to help businesses minimize issues and maximize the potential of an industry in its infancy.
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Canada legalized recreational marijuana in 2018. But it’s a different story in the US. Medical and/or adult recreational use of marijuana is legal in more than 60 percent of states, but possession or use of the product remains illegal under federal law.
For US consumers, the promise of cannabis is mired in confusion.
The ancient plant — first used as a medicine in the 28th century BC — is not only fueling a health and wellness revolution nationwide. It’s challenging marketers to navigate a tangled path of misaligned federal, state and local laws.
Cannabis is growing like a weed, driving an abundance of opportunity in an industry fraught with confusion. But how do you market products obscured by a murky mix of myth and misinformation, especially when so little data exists about your target audience and its traits?
Elevate partnered with YouGov, a global public opinion and data company, to survey consumers about their attitudes, interests, use, and purchase behaviors regarding cannabis. This survey-based research uncovered a wealth of both broad and highly granular information about current perceptions of cannabis in the US.
Often used as an imprecise synonym for marijuana, cannabis is a botanical term for multiple plants. It’s important to know specifically what you’re marketing.
Distinctions between hemp and marijuana … CBD and THC … sativa, indica, and hybrid strains — can cause confusion. Reduce it by making education a priority.
The US has a hodge-podge of headache-inducing federal, state, and local regulations. Comply with all state and local laws to minimize problems under federal law.
Make sure you have data to support any cannabis-related marketing claims — and scrupulously avoid what could be construed as unfounded health claims to avoid problems with the US Food and Drug Administration.
Someone at R.J. Reynolds thought Joe Camel was a cool mascot for cigarettes in the 1980s. It wasn’t. Carefully craft adult-oriented marketing to protect your brand and the industry as a whole.
You will likely get pushback from some publishers, programmatic-related service providers, investors, and banks. Just be patient — it’s early days of a new industry.
