Even with four states and D.C. having legalized marijuana, there is still a certain stigma that seems to follow the plant. While we are a long way from where we were fifty years ago, but there are still quite a few hurdles to get over – one of the biggest for businesses being advertising. Unfortunately, there are strict policies all over the country in place to limit (if not completely ban) the advertising of marijuana since it is a schedule I drug according to the federal government.
We’ve seen the U.S. Postal Service suddenly remind cannabusinesses and the papers that running ads that are distributed by the USPS are illegal – and we’ve even seen social media sites like Facebook and Instagram completely obliterate the pages of multiple dispensaries and larger corporations like MassRoots. Honestly, I think we all know it’s time that the advertising world accepted the fact that the cannabis industry is legitimate and going mainstream across the country.
In one of the first big steps towards helping brands and advertisers understand the cannabis industry, Sparks & Honey and High Times have joined forces. Sparks & Honey is an agency based in New York with the goal of opening minds and creating possibilities for brands to stay relevant and engage with their customers. High Times as well all know is the world famous media company who has been at the forefront of the industry for around forty years.
“The ongoing legalization of cannabis has brought its popularity to an all-time high. Recent predictions estimate that it will be a 36 billion dollar industry by 2020,” said Sean Mahoney, Vice President, Editorial Director, sparks & honey. “Our partnership with HIGH TIMES will help reveal invaluable information and insights for brands seeking ways to embrace this emerging audience in an organic, authentic way.”
Together the two companies will be releasing multiple reports that will help those in the industry and those hoping to enter the industry to stay current on the trends of both consumers and products – helping the brands to engage with their audience and customer base authentically. The first report to be released will be called “Rebranding Marijuana” and it will be released on the unofficial 4/20 holiday.
“With more than 42 years of experience in the cannabis space, our massive location-based events, digital and magazine presence, and deep relationships with the leading legitimate businesses in cannabis, now is the time to partner with a leader in trending in the Madison Avenue agency space, and sparks & honey was the obvious choice,” said HIGH TIMES Chief Operating Officer Larry Linietsky. “Rebranding Marijuana will be the first of many definitive trending reports from our joint efforts.”
There will be a teaser announcement made about the report during the 2016 U.S. Cannabis Cup and Carnival in San Bernardino, California – the full report will be available from High Times in print and online, and Sparks & Honey will be sharing it at all of their events.
