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A partnership with Hearst Newspapers will put the campaign in mainstream media outlets
For anyone who’s ever heard that cannabis is a gateway drug, here’s a baby boomer couple willing to confirm those suspicions, but in a way that’s counter to the old war-on-drugs definition.
These distinguished-looking folks, stars of an upcoming campaign from a newly formed cannabis trade group, have found weed use to be an entree to their younger selves. Pot didn’t burn them out—in fact, it revived their romantic life and left them “certainly feeling randier,” per the ad.
Similarly, a grandma is now “hooked” because cannabis helps her maintain her daily exercise routine, and a gardener can pursue her outdoor passion without pain. And she doesn’t mind at all if anyone calls her a “dirtbag.”
The work—under the tagline “I’m High Right Now”—comes from the Cannabis Media Council, a professional association of about 100 members that aims to be the “Got Milk” of the American weed business. Its goal is to educate the public about the industry and pave the way for brands to break into mainstream media.
Given the restrictions on cannabis marketing—brands can’t buy ads from tech giants like Meta, Instagram or TikTok and are shut out of most traditional outlets—the sales-free pitch for weed wants to build awareness and rebrand the space.
“The benefit of a consumer-oriented campaign, as we move toward federal legalization, is to get people talking and sharing,” Amy Deneson, CMC’s co-founder, told Adweek. “We want it to be category-growing kind of work and a tide that lifts all boats on a national level.”
Member brands include Maison Bloom, Cann,