Watch: CBS Rejects Cannabis Commercial for Super Bowl

Cannabis is becoming more of a topic of discussion as laws are trying to be passed.

The Super Bowl is right around the corner which means million dollar commercials. The huge cannabis dispensary investor, Acreage Holdings wanted to air a commercial about legalizing marijuana. Moreover, they “deeply believe in the transformational power that cannabis has to heal and change the world.” What better way to make a statement than a Super Bowl commercial?

Acreage Holdings offered to pay $5 million for CBS to broadcast the commercial (as seen below) during the Super Bowl LIII. Unfortunately, CBS denied the commercial.

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@cbstvstudios just rejected a $5 million cannabis commerical deal with @acreageholdings 😱 Their commercial was originally suppose to air for the #superbowl .It’s about how medical marijuana is proven to help those with disabilities and how people need it to cope with pain.

A post shared by Hollywood Weed (@hollywood.weed) on Jan 25, 2019 at 4:44pm PST

Cannabis Advertising Agencies Are Finding More Difficulties Than Expected In Promoting Medical Cannabis

To no surprise, CBS does not allow cannabis ads to air. However, the rejection proves that advertising for medical marijuana is a challenge. For this reason, brands want to break the taboo of cannabis. As seen in the Acreage commercial, people with disabilities need medical cannabis. For example, Amy’s son, Austin, suffers from “dozens to hundreds” seizures every day. Of course, a doctor prescribed a pill, but it almost killed him.

In addition, those that suffer like Austin need medical marijuana to get through the day. Marijuana has a common stigma of being a bad drug. In reality, it’s another form of medication to help improve the quality of daily life.

Using Cannabis Marketing As A Public Service Announcement

After being rejected, Acreage’s chief of marketing officer addressed the commercial saying, “It’s a public service announcement really more than it is an advertisement. We’re not marketing any of our products or retail in this spot.”

As a marketing agency, we recognized that the intention of the commercial was aimed to help those who in need. Medical marijuana is a solution for many people that need to cope with daily pains. Marketing for a business associated with cannabis is no easy task.

About Branding Los Angeles

At Branding Los Angeles, we understand that medical cannabis brands want to break the taboo stigma and our team can help. The growth of the marijuana industry requires a game plan that’s beyond traditional marketing methods. If your cannabis dispensary is in need of a great marketing strategy, contact us today!

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